Once Upon a Broken Heart
by ninjapirate6
Summary: They were a prince and a princess arranged to be married. Can they learn to love one another for who they really are? Or will the kingdoms never be joined?
1. The Announcement

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

This idea has been stuck in my head for freaking ever so I figure I would stop being lazy and finally write it. Not really sure how it's going to turn out so if you could review at the end and tell me what you think I would greatly appreciate it. If it sucks, please tell me so I can take it off and fix it or something of that nature.

**Disclaimer:** How in the world would I own Ranma 1/2? Come on now.

**Chapter 1: The Announcement **

You would think that someone would get used to the violent nature of the youngest daughter of the king, but no one in the castle ever seemed to. Today had been especially bad. The servants who were in the room when the king made the announcement all cringed as they saw the famous mallet that the princess always seemed to get out of thin air came in the direction of the king's face. They all watched as the mallet missed and hit the table the king was sitting next to as he crawled and hid behind his eldest daughter.

"Now Akane, be reasonable! Genma is an old friend of mine and of your dear mother's! His son is the same age as you!" Soun gave a nervous laugh as he peeked over Kasumi's shoulder seeing if it was safe or not.

Akane stood with her mallet held over her head ready to hit her father at any sight of movement. She was breathing heavy from rage and some servants swore that they saw fire in her eyes. Her other sister was sitting silently in her chair next to where Akane was standing watching with half-lidded eyes pretending to be bored with the news their father had just told them.

Flashback

_The king smiled at his three daughters as they sat in front of him waiting for this supposedly "great" news. They were in one of the smaller libraries the castle had that their father used as a conference room with his advisors. Books lined the walls like wallpaper and the one window in the room was big enough for a perfect view of the gardens that were behind the castle. The sun was high in the sky lighting the whole room. Books and scrap paper were thrown all across the floor that the king had not let the maids clean up. He looked at each one of his daughters with a wide smile._

_Nabiki looked half asleep in her chair, Akane was leaning her chin into her hand looking at her father with bored eyes, while Kasumi sat up straight with her hands folded in her lap awaiting the announcement. _

"_Girls, I just got a letter from my old friend King Genma! It seems that the time of an old arrangement we made when we were young has finally come! His son, Prince Ranma, has turned 16 yesterday!" he gushed out in excitement._

_All three of his daughters starred blankly at him while he continued to smile at them. When he didn't say anything more, Nabiki got impatient and asked "So?"_

_Without his smile fading their father held up the letter for them to see and told them in a voice filled with pride "They will be coming here to the castle very soon by the sounds of it…" He drifted off into thought until Nabiki cleared her thought to get back his attention. "Oh yes, when they arrive Prince Ranma and Akane will marry! The kingdoms will finally be joined!"_

_His smile dimmed after a while when all three girls just kept starring at him with the same blank stare they had when he first had started speaking._

"_Oh my!" Kasumi gasped when she finally comprehended what their father had just told them. Nabiki's eyes went wide with shock. Beside her Akane made her hand into a fist and scowled at the letter their father was still holding up._

End of Flashback

Akane was seeing red. She's been known to have a temper, but this was nothing like that. She was ready for murder. Last time she was this mad she broke a servant's pinky that tripped her while she was racing against the boy he was supposed to be looking after.

"_Does he seriously think I'll just marry some prince I don't even know? Fat chance!" _Akane screamed in her mind.

"Father, she's too young to marry!" Kasumi gently scolded her father over her shoulder.

"Nonsense! We will wait for Akane's 16th birthday of course, so they have time to get to know one another, and then once they are married they will train to be king and queen! This way we will finally be able to unite both kingdoms into one!" Soun explained with streams of tears running down his cheeks.

By the time Soun had said the word married Akane was ready to try hitting her father again. When she went to slam the mallet down on her father's head, the doors to the library were thrown open by non-other than Noblemen Kuno.

"_Oh great. Just what I need. The stupidest man on earth and his son."_ Akane rolled her eyes and brought her arms down to her side not letting go of the mallet.

Noblemen Kuno bowed to the king and the three princesses before walking over to Soun. "I am very sorry about the intrusion Your Highness, but I have a very pressing matter to discuss with you."

"Of course!" Soun said jumping at the excuse to get himself out of his short tempered daughter's hitting range. "If you excuse us girls, Noblemen Kuno and I have very important business to talk over."

Akane stomped out of the library with her two sisters running right behind her. Servants and maids jumped over one another to get out of the way of the enraged princess. Kasumi and Nabiki hurried after her trying to make sure she didn't hurt anyone like last time she was angry.

"How could he do this to me?! Does he honestly believe that I'll go through with marrying some _Prince Ranma_?!" she spat out with a disgusted look on her face. "Who does he think he is telling me who I'm going to marry?"

"Hmm let's see, the king maybe. And your father for that matter," Nabiki answered holding up her index finger while chasing after Akane.

Akane turned her head glaring at Nabiki with a glare that could have made anyone else run and hide in a corner somewhere. Too busy glaring at Nabiki, Akane didn't see the man standing in her way until she was sitting on the stone floor looking up at the tall figure looming over her.

"My Princess! Are you alright? I hope you are unharmed." The man leaned over and held out his hand to help the fallen princess up.

"_Why does the world hate me? What did I ever do to deserve this?"_

"I'm fine Kuno," Akane said coldly as she stood up ignoring Kuno's offered hand. She dusted off her skirt and looked around.

"I am very sorry about that Your Highness. Please accept my apologizes," he said as he gave a sweeping bow in front of Akane.

"Yes, well, I see that there's no Sasuke following you around today." Akane said in a fake sweet voice.

"He has become ill Princess," Kuno said eager to answer any question Akane asked him.

Akane rolled her eyes at the love sick expression he had on his face. He gave her a bright smile that showed almost all his teeth and his eyes were practically shaped like hearts. As always, Kuno came with his father for a chance to run into Akane.

"_The poor fool will never learn."_

"That's too bad. How's his pinky doing?" She said smiling while still using the same sweet voice. Behind her Nabiki smirked and Kasumi looked on with a slight frown.

Kuno gave a nervous cough before answering, "He is still not able to move it down any farther."

Her smile grew. _"Good."_

"So I see you had a discussion with your father. Good news I hope." Kuno said trying to sound casual while wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth that came from seeing Akane smile.

Immediately Akane's smile vanished and was instead replaced with a scowl. Not bothering to answer, she pushed past Kuno and started heading to the training room where a stack of bricks were waiting for her.

Passing paintings and servants cowering in random corners of the halls, Akane rambled on in her head about the injustice of what her father had just informed them.

"_I haven't even met the boy! How am I supposed to marry a total stranger? I won't do it! I'll stand up to father and tell him I couldn't possibly marry someone I don't even know."_

"Akane"

"_I'll just tell him it's not fair. I'll work up some tears and convince him that it would ruin my happiness. And if he's going to make me miserable for the rest of my life, then I'll do the same for him,"_ Akane cracked her fingers that she had in a fist.

"Akane"

"_If that doesn't work I'll say that for a birthday present he can change his mind on all of this! He wouldn't pass on that! Oh who am I kidding? That's the lamest excuse yet."_

"Akane!"

At the sound of her gentle sister's yell, Akane stopped and turned around to see both her sisters leaning against the wall clutching their stomachs for breath.

Breathing deep Kasumi continued, "Maybe we should go talk this over in my room. You don't have time to get changed to start working out just to get cleaned up again in time for dinner."

Akane starred at her sister in shock. _"Dinner? How can I think about dinner when my own father just announced the ending of my life?!"_

"It's not as if this is the ending of your life or anything," Nabiki told her in a bored voice.

"_Ok, that was just creepy."_ "If it were you father said that to, you wouldn't be saying that. You'd be just as mad as I am!" Akane said as her voice grew louder as she kept talking.

She squeezed her eyes shut trying not to let the tears that threatened to come fall onto her cheeks.

"_I'm so angry I'm going to start crying. I hate when that happens!"_

She felt a pair of arms wrap around her in a hug and had to shut her eyes even tighter. She finally gave in and threw her arms around Kasumi and with a cry began sobbing into her shoulder. She felt Kasumi grip her arms tighter around her waist and felt another pair of arms wrap her.

"It's like mother used to say. Everything that happens, happens for a reason. The only thing we can do is learn how to accept everything that comes," she heard Kasumi whisper soothingly in her ear.

After bowing their respects, the servants assigned to cleaning that hallway all left to give the princesses their privacy. Most agreed that it felt too awkward to just standing there seeing such an intimate moment pass between sisters.

"_What am I going to do?"_ Akane asked herself as she hugged her sister tighter.

Ok, so tell me what ya'll think. They might be a little out of character, but I can live with it. Oh ya! The title is from that song "Once upon a broken heart" by The Beu Sisters. Thanks for reading!


	2. Good News Gone Bad

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and put this on their alert list! Hopefully, the chapters coming up will be half-way decent.

So before writing this chapter I already had major writers block. I'm guessing that's not good…

**Disclaimer:** Like I would own Ranma and be writing fanfiction about it instead of just putting it in the show.

**Chapter 2: Good News Gone Bad**

"Happy late birthday Ranma!" Ukyou cheered as she revealed the small birthday cake she was holding behind her back.

"Thanks Ukyou," Ranma said in a depressed voice.

"Not to complain or anything, but when your best friend makes you a perfectly delicious cake, it's not a good idea to act like your dog just died," she said as she poked him in the shoulder.

Ranma turned his head to look out the window of the kitchen. Around him the noise of pots and pans being hit together was heard over the hum of conversations everyone was having while cooks ran about getting the night's dinner ready.

"Sorry," he said in the same depressed voice, not even bothering to turn from the window. The sun was shining and birds circled above in the air. It was a perfect day, but that didn't seem to make Ranma's mood any better.

Ukyou pouted at the back of his pig-tailed head. She looked around making sure no one was close enough to hear them.

"Ok. What's wrong?"

Ranma sighed and turned his head back around to his childhood friend. He looked at her determined face and knew there was no way he could avoid telling her.

"My dad told me that he had good news to tell me tonight at dinner tonight."

"Uh oh," Ukyou sighed along with Ranma as they both turned back to stare out the window. It seemed the bright sun could not clear their minds of the worry that each had about the "good" news. "What do you think it is this time?"

"I honestly have no clue. It still amazes me how he thinks that anything he tells me is 'good' news," he said quoting "good" with his fingers.

"Good" news for King Genma always meant bad news for Ranma. The last major "good" news Genma said he had, was a new martial arts technique, that left Ranma scarred for life. Cats are still not allowed anywhere near the castle grounds.

"But let's talk about something other then my awaiting torture. Are you feeling any better?" Ranma asked finally turning away from the window and looking at Ukyou.

"I am actually. Sorry I missed your birthday dinner, but I didn't think that you would appreciate my continual throwing up at the table."

"Thanks for that visual."

"Any time buddy! Always here to help!" she said slinging an arm around his shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. How about we have some of that cake now?" he asked while eyeing the cake.

"Go for it Prince," Ukyou chuckled at the glare she got from him before he grabbed a fork and started eating the cake like no tomorrow.

"You know I hate it when you call me that," he said with a mouth full of cake.

"I don't see why. You are a prince after all," Ukyou said in a matter of fact tone.

"But you're my friend. You don't need to call me that," Ranma complained as he put another forkful of cake in his mouth. "You know Ukyou, this is really good cake. Thanks!"

Ukyou turned her head away so he wouldn't be able to see the blush that appeared on her face. It was just a couple months ago that Ukyou realized the crush she had on Ranma, but she wasn't about to tell him about her new discoveries. She thought she still had all the time in the world to tell him.

"You may bring out the food now Ukyou," the queen told her in a dignified voice.

"Yes Your Majesty." Ukyou bowed and walked through the doors to the kitchen where she worked as head chef. She grew up in the castle where her father had worked as a chef, but when he became ill she took over his job.

Meanwhile, Genma, Nodoka, and Ranma all sat at a long table filled with plates and silverware at places where no one was sitting. Ranma leaned his elbow on the silk tablecloth with his chin in his hand waiting for the servants to bring the food out.

Genma cleared his throat rather loudly causing everyone in the room to look at him. The bald king turned in his chair to his right where Ranma was sitting next to him. He squinted his eyes through his glasses as he glared at Ranma as Nodoka looked on with interest.

"Ranma!" Genma shouted at him.

Ranma jumped and sat up straight turning to look at his father. Genma just went back to glaring at him. Ranma looked at him with half-lidded eyes waiting for whatever nonsense Genma was going to tell him next.

Before Genma could utter another word, servants and cooks came parading out of the kitchen door with trays of food in their hands. After placing the food on the table in front of the royal family, they stood along the walls waiting for the meal to be done so they could start cleaning up.

Getting distracted, both Ranma and Genma tore into the food like no tomorrow. They ate fast and fought for food while Nodoka slowly filled her plate with a few pieces of whatever they hadn't already gotten.

When the food was almost gone and Nodoka was about to give the signal for the servants to clean up, Genma slammed his hands on the table, making the plates and silverware bounce from the table.

"Ranma!" Genma shouted and started glaring at him again without saying a word.

"Just say it already!" Ranma shouted back getting annoyed at his father's lack of words.

"I have very good news to share you all tonight!" Genma said with a wide grin.

Everyone in the room starred back at him with blank faces. When he didn't say anything else and his smile didn't drop Ranma got annoyed again.

"Well tell us already old man!"

Genma stood from the table and walked up behind Ranma placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Ranma my boy, now that you've turned 16, an arrangement I made with an old friend has finally come into play!" Genma stopped there, smiling another wide grin.

A vein was visible on Ranma's head after a moment when Genma didn't say anything more. "Will you just finish already?!"

"Tomorrow we will be leaving to go to King Soun's kingdom. There you will meet your future bride who you will marry after her 16th birthday, which I hear, is coming up very soon. We're finally going to be able to unite the kingdoms!"

The sound of a tray being dropped on the floor was heard all throughout the dining room. Everyone besides Ranma turned to the sound and saw a pale faced Ukyou bending down to pick up the tray she was holding, while Ranma starred at his father in shock. Genma looked back to his son and took in his wide eyes and shocked expression.

Nodoka was just as surprised as Ranma. She frowned at her husband as he started patting Ranma on the shoulder.

"We have all of your things packed Your Highness, just like you asked. We just need to know who else you would like to join for the trip there," a man's voice spoke up from the line of servants and cooks standing along side the wall.

"I don't think there is anyone else who needs to go with us…" Genma trailed off to think.

"I believe it would be best for Ukyou to also accompany us," Nodoka said in a stern voice that brought fear into both her son and husband.

Ukyou looked up at the queen from where she was looking down at the floor. Her face and wide eyes showed the shock she felt from hearing the "good" news and having the queen suggest brining her along made the shock even more.

Ranma seemed to come out of the shock he was in and looked at his mother. She was glaring at Genma with her lips set in a straight line. He could tell that she had known nothing about this "arrangement". He couldn't get his mind clear enough to say anything. But he was sure that once he could he would be mad.

"Ranma, go ahead and go to your room. From the sounds of it, we're going to be leaving early tomorrow. Besides, your father and I have some things to discuss," she said while glaring at Genma even harder. "Ukyou, I suggest you do the same and go back your things."

Ranma and Ukyou both ran from the dining room without a word and headed straight to their rooms leaving behind a furious Nodoka and a fearful Genma.

While running to his room, Ranma's mind was working a thousand miles a minute.

_What the crap just happened?! _

All around servants and maids ran around carrying things that were coming along and putting them in a carriage. It was early the next morning and Ranma and Ukyou were standing in front of the castle waiting for when they would have to leave to go to King Soun's kingdom.

"How are you feeling?" Ukyou asked in a quiet voice.

"Not sure yet. Though I'm pretty sure it's close to feeling extremely pissed off," Ranma told her while starring straight ahead at the people who were doing some last minute packing.

Ukyou nodded her in agreement. The silence between them grew. Both were starring out in front of them with blank faces.

Inside Ukyou was freaking out. _Married?! He can't get married!_

Finally Ranma spoke up. "He can't make me marry anyone. I don't care if it is some princess. I'm not marrying anyone I don't even know."

Ukyou snapped her head to look at him so fast her neck started to hurt. Ranma was still looking ahead, so he didn't see the spark of hope in her eyes. A scowl appeared on his face as he saw his father and mother getting into a carriage with two white horses standing in front of it.

Suddenly the hope in Ukyou's eyes faded. "You know you're gonna have to marry her right?"

Ranma didn't say anything as he walked to the carriage his parents were in waiting for him so they could leave. Only one thought was going through his head.

_What am I going to do?_

Well that's chapter 2. Ranma and Ukyou may seem out of character, but they'll be more in character the next chapter. Hope you all liked it!

Help me out and review please. Feed back is very important!


	3. Akane's Nightmare

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Yeah, so, I'm a total idiot and deleted the story thinking that something I was trying would work, but my computer hates me so of course it didn't. I'm really sorry to anyone who reviewed and put this on their alert list before I deleted it. One day I might grow some brain cells that I'll actually use.

So obviously I put it back up. And here I am feeling like a complete tool, trying to make this chapter awesome so I can make myself feel better. Not one of my smartest days…

**Disclaimer:** Ranma is way too good for me to own it. Sad truth.

**Chapter 3: Akane's Nightmare**

_Akane stood in the grand hall facing the tall wooden doors with Kasumi and Nabiki standing on both sides of her. Behind them sat King Soun in an over decorated throne looking straight ahead of him with a blank face. Around them servants and maids stood in various places through out the hall waiting for any order they might be given. _

_Akane looked to her right to find Nabiki starring at the still closed doors with same blank face their father had on his. Confused as to why she was looking that way, Akane turned to look at her oldest sister only to see the same expression on her face as the others had._

_Just as she opened her mouth to ask Kasumi what was wrong, the giant doors they all were facing burst open, hitting the walls with a loud bang echoing throughout the hall. _

_Beyond the doors was a light so blinding, Akane couldn't see what had caused the doors to open with such a force. _

_A shadow appeared in the doorway in the shape of a man. Akane squinted her eyes towards the door trying to make out the face of the man who was doing nothing but standing there seemingly looking into the hall they all were standing in. _

_Without anyone saying anything about the strange man appearing in the doorway, Akane knew that this was the man her father had set up her arranged marriage to. Akane's eyes grew wide with realization and she took a deep breath as the mysterious man took a step into the hall. _

_The light behind the man seemingly faded as he stood only a few feet away from where the three princesses were standing. Without the light blinding her anymore, Akane could finally see who the man she was supposed to marry was._

_Standing in front of her was non-other then Tatewaki Kuno. _

_Akane's jaw almost hit the floor with shock. Kuno looked at her with a smirk on his face._

"_Hello Princess."_

_Akane shut her eyes tight and screamed with everything she had. No sound came from it. Hearing no sound, Akane started to panic and tried to scream louder, trying to do anything to make her terrified yells heard. She grabbed at her throat with both hands. _

_With her only thought being that she had to get away, she tried to make her feet move. Meanwhile, everyone in the hall was still starring ahead with the emotionless faces. Finally Akane noticed she wasn't getting anywhere. She looked down only to find that her legs wouldn't move from the spot where they still stood. Akane felt a force press down on her shoulders that grew heavier every time she tried to move her numb legs. This only made her try to scream even more, but still no sound came from her mouth. _

_The pressure on her shoulders grew so great that she fell to her knees before Kuno. With great effort she lifted her head to see Kuno starring down at her with that smirk still on his face. Turning her head, she saw Nabiki starring down at where Akane had fallen. Her eyes were void of life and the blank face she had made her look almost dead. Tears fell down Akane's cheeks without her realizing they had even left her eyes._

"Princess!"

_The voice rang throughout the hall, but Akane didn't stop her starring contest with Nabiki. Neither one moved with the only sound being the voice echoing off the halls of the great hall. _

"Princess!"

Akane's eyes snapped open. The only thing she saw were a pair of familiar wide eyes starring down at her. Akane gasped and jumped out of bed soon regretting it. Her bedroom spun around her and her head felt light. Holding a hand to her head, she turned to her personal maid who was still standing over the extremely large bed from where she had just woken the princess up.

"I am very sorry Princess, but your father asked me to make sure you were up early today so you would have time to get ready for the arrival of King Genma," the young maid told her while bowing.

"It's alright Akari. I'm actually very glad you woke me up." Akane said while smiling at the pretty girl.

"Bad dream?" The maid named Akari asked with a smile playing at her lips. Turning, she headed towards the large bureau standing against the wall where the windows let in the perfect amount of light.

Everything was set up in Akane's bedroom to be perfect. With its many chairs and couches, silk bed sheets, and anything else a girl could ever hope for, it was admired by girl who had the chance to look into it. All except for Akane, that is.

"You have no idea," Akane muttered under her breath. She watched as Akari set up the things that would be used to fix her hair up nice for the special day.

Akane was very proud of her hair. It had taken a long time for her to grow it out to be longer then Kasumi's. She could still remember the day her sister gently told her that princesses have long hair instead of the short styled look Akane used to have. Now her blue black hair went below her shoulders.

_Just like a princess, _Akane thought while she unconsciously started playing with a lock of hair. She was brought out of her thoughts when Akari turned around and asked if she should pick out Akane's outfit.

"Yes, please." Akane said watching as the girl bowed and walked to the closet where all of Akane's clothes were.

Akane hated having people serve her. She hated the fact that people actually believed some people were "beneath" others.

_Here are two girls the same age and one has to serve the other hand and foot. How is that fair?_

Akane was once again brought out of her thoughts as Akari walked out of the closet holding light blue material in her arms.

"Shall we?" Akari asked with a smile on her face.

Akane gave a sigh and walked over to the girl holding up the dress.

_Today will be a _very_ long day._

**½**

Ranma's head hit the carriage ceiling causing him to wake up. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he turned to look out the window he was sitting next to. The village that led to the castle was full of little houses and fences. He watched as the carriage went by a house with children playing in the front yard with a dog that had huge eyes.

He sighed and turned back in his seat so he was facing ahead of him where his parents were. His father had his mouth open wide, drool running down his chin. It was then Ranma heard him snore so loud, he was surprised that it wasn't the noise Genma was making that woke him up.

_It's a wonder he doesn't wake up the whole castle back at home..._

At the thought of home, Ranma sighed again looked back out the window. The houses were becoming less crowed and larger in size. He was longing for someplace where he could practice. Fighting was just the thing he needed at a time like this.

_Doubt they're going to have any place like that here. Man, what am I going to do to get out of this?_

"You seem deep in thought over there," Nodoka said with a sleepy smile as she sat up straighter against the seat.

Ranma looked over at his mother and took in her appearance. Her slightly messy hair from just waking up seemed to be the only thing that was messy about the queen. Resting her sword that she always carried with her in her lap, she looked at Ranma with a kind gaze waiting for him to tell her what he was thinking about.

"A lot to think about," Ranma started speaking knowing that she would never give up until he told her, "with only learning last night that you're getting married. I don't even know how long I have till the wedding! All I know about this is that we're getting married after her 16th birthday which 'from what I heard is coming up very soon'," Ranma said sarcastically while imitating his father's voice. "And coming so soon after I just heard about this last night, I don't know, it just seems like everything is going too fast."

Nodoka looked at her son with pity in her eyes. She knew it was tough for him to tell her all of this with his "manly pride". It didn't help that her fool of a husband was the one who taught it to him.

"Ranma dear, I know how you're feeling right now. But you must understand that this is important to the kingdom. Both kingdoms! We could finally be able to unite the kingdoms after a very long time." She reached across the carriage and placed her hand on his from where it was gripping the fabric of his pants. "It's a hard thing to do. I know. It's even harder to ask, but…"

"You didn't even ask! Pop just told me that I would be marrying some… stranger all because of an arrangement he made when he was younger!" Ranma yelled out in anger.

Nodoka snatched her hand back as his harsh words snuck in. She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe as if preparing for something big. "Ranma, I'm sorry. I really am. This is not going to be easy for you. That's why I suggested Ukyou come with us. But you have to understand. You are a prince. You have responsibilities to your kingdom. As unfair as this may be, I agree with your father about you marrying Princess Akane. This is just something you have to do."

"So in other words, take one for the team?" Ranma asked with anger laced in his voice.

Nodoka sadly looked down at her lap where her hands were now resting. "Yes," she said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

Ranma knew that he had said too much. He knew his mother wasn't the one who came up the idea. But apologizing was not something Ranma could do very well. He turned back to the window to look at the landscape they were passing. For the rest of the ride to the castle the only sound heard in the carriage full of royalty was the sound Genma's loud obnoxious snoring.

**½**

"Your Highness! A royal carriage has just entered the gates. King Genma and his family have arrived."

"Do you hear that girls? They're finally here! Akane! Your future fiancé is just outside those doors!" Soun said in an excited voice as he grabbed Akane's shoulders. Tears ran down his face in joy.

_Suddenly, I don't feel so good. _Akane thought as she depressingly looked to the doors that held her future behind them.

**½**

Next chapter, they finally meet! Sorry for the wait. I'm just… lazy. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated! Review please!


	4. The Dreaded Meeting

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Ok, I have to thank my best friend Megan for putting up with my constant questions about if a sentence makes sense or what a word is. You must have a lot of patience if even I realize how annoying I am. It also means a lot having you say you like the story!

And thank you again to all of those who left reviews and put this on their alert lists! I appreciate it! Enjoy the chapter!

**Disclaimer:** Only in that one dream I had once…

**Chapter 4: The Dreaded Meeting**

Ranma and Ukyou stood outside in the rain that had started pouring down as they got out of the carriage. Servants ran around unloading their bags just like they had been at Ranma's castle. They were all waiting outside waiting for the castle doors to open for reasons unknown to them. Meanwhile, Ranma and Ukyou starred at the tall building with wide eyes and their mouths hanging open.

"It looks almost the same as ours!" Ranma whispered to Ukyou. She chuckled and looked over at his wet black hair falling into his eyes. The rain made his shirt cling to his muscled chest and his piercing blue eyes stood out from the gray morning sky. Blushing, she turned her gaze back to the castle with such a fast speed that Ranma looked over at her with a confused look on his face.

Clearing her throat from embarrassment, Ukyou kept her gaze on the castle. "Are you ready for this?"

"I'll deal," he said squaring his shoulders, trying not to show that he was really scared.

"Ranma!" Genma yelled out from underneath the cover the servants brought out for them. "Why are you standing in the rain getting wet when you're about to meet your fiancé!?"

Ranma rolled his eyes at Ukyou making her chuckle again. He walked over to his parents as she walked over to the old maid that was in charge of everything and everyone who worked in the castle.

As Ranma walked to get underneath the cover his parents were still under, Genma swung his arm out with his hand in a fist, hitting Ranma right in the jaw.

"What was that for you old man!" Ranma shouted while rubbing his hand along his jaw line.

"You're going to be married soon and becoming king. You need to start learning to expect the unexpected!" Genma said as he thrust his fist in the air like he accomplished something great.

"That's your reasoning for hitting me in the face!?" Ranma shouted while grabbing the front of Genma's shirt in his fist and putting his face uncomfortably close to Genma's.

Genma pushed up his glasses making the glare on the lenses hide his eyes. "Yes."

Ranma, already angry with his father, lifted Genma up by his shirt with both hands and threw him towards the castle doors. Just as Genma was about to hit the doors, the doors were opened from the inside by two frightened looking servants who watched as Genma flew through the doors and skid across the room's expensive looking rug.

Nodoka and Ranma rushed into the room and knelt next to an unconscious Genma.

"I knew he would crash into the door, but all the way across the room? My day just got better!" Ranma told Nodoka as she tried to hide the slight smile on her face.

Looking up from his father, Ranma's eyes grew wide as he starred at the room full of servants and what he guessed was the royal family, standing in the room starring at him with equally wide eyes. None of the onlookers said anything as an uncomfortable silence filled the room. A certain girl with big brown eyes in a blue dress who was breathing heavy caught his eye in the crowd of his astonished audience.

"Um, sorry 'bout that," Ranma said meekly as he tore his eyes away from the girl.

**½**

Akane watched her father talk animatedly to Kasumi as they walked through the doorway with a bored looking Nabiki following behind them to the Grand Hall where Soun told them that they should welcome them to their castle.

Akane stood there in the library where the servant had just told them of King Genma and his family's arrival.

_I'll have to thank Kasumi for convincing father to let me go to the Grand Hall on my own._

Akane paced back and forth across the room still littered with random papers and over turned books. Worried thoughts ran through her mind a mile a minute. So caught up she was in her thoughts that she didn't even see hear the door to the library being opened by Akari.

"Excuse me Your Highness, but your father thought it best to wait to open the door until you were there to greet King Genma and the others as well. It started raining outside and your father asked me to come and take you to the Grand Hall as to not make them stand in the rain for any longer," Akari said with a slight bow.

"Oh! I didn't know that I was taking so long," Akane said starting for the door where Akari still stood.

"He asked that we run to the Hall as to not waste anymore time," she said with a pleasant smile.

"Um, alright," Akane said questionably as they started to jog to the Grand Hall.

As they jogged, Akari noticed Akane's miserable expression. Knowing just how to cheer her up, Akari started to jog a little faster. Not one to be outdone, Akane picked up her pace till she was jogging ahead of Akari.

By the end of the hallway both girls were at a full on run. Their laughs echoed through the halls as they raced to the Grand Hall. Servants they passed smiled at the sight of their princess having fun.

With only one more hallway to run down till they reached the Grand Hall, Akane sprinted with all her might making the distance between Akari and her grow even larger. She lifted her blue gown higher above her legs so she would have more room to run.

"You cheat!" Akari laughed as Akane ran through the doorway with her arms up in the air in victory.

"I did no such thing," Akane said while a smile as her breathing became heavy from running.

Both girls were hunched over with their hands on their knees trying to regain their breath, when Soun called for Akane to stand with Kasumi and Nabiki in front of the doors. Akane smiled and mouthed a thank you to Akari as they both went to stand in their respected places.

Suddenly her corset type bodice on her dress felt tight as she sucked in as much air as she could. Soun smiled wide as he nodded for the servants who were standing by the door to open the doors.

The servants pulled on the door's handles with two hands effectively opening the tall doors. Suddenly a body came flying through the doorway and bounced on the rug covered floor until he landed in a heap a few feet away from where the three princesses were standing to greet the royal family.

"Oh my!" Kasumi gasped when the man laying on the floor didn't move to get up.

Mouths gaping and eyes wide, everyone watched as a prime looking woman ran in with a drenched boy at her side. While kneeling by the man crumpled on the floor, they heard the soaking boy say something to the woman with a smile. But when he looked up to see Akane and everyone else starring at them with surprise on their faces, his smile left and was replaced by a nervous look. Looking around the room, his gaze landed on Akane. Her heart skipped a beat as his blue eyes met her brown ones.

_It's just from the run. That's all._

"Um, sorry 'bout that."

The silence continued through out the Grand Hall until Soun started laughing. Confused faces turned to the king as he held his stomach while still laughing. Calming down his laughter a little, Soun walked over to where the woman and boy now stood still by the side of the unconscious man.

"You must be Ranma!" Soun said as he patted Ranma hard on the back. Ranma smiled at Soun nervously as he scratched his check with his index finger. Turning to the woman standing beside him, he gave a slight bow. "Very nice seeing you again Nodoka. You look lovely as always."

"Glad to see you are the same complimentary fool as you've always been Soun." Nodoka said with a smile on her lips.

_That's Ranma and the Queen!?_

"Akari!" Soun yelled. Akari stepped out of the crowd of servants that stood in the room with her hands behind her back. "Please take my old friend, King Genma, to Doctor Tofu's to have him checked out." Akari bowed and ran over to the man lying in front of Soun's feet. "Kasumi, would you please go with her?"

"Of course Father," Kasumi said with her ever present smile on her face as she walked over to where Akari had just gotten Genma conscious and standing with his arm over her shoulders.

As the pair helped the dizzy king out of the Grand Hall to the doctor's room, Soun walked over behind where his two remaining daughters stood and turned to Queen Nodoka and Prince Ranma with a huge smile on his face.

"Nodoka, these are my daughters. You just saw Kasumi, but this," he said putting a hand on Nabiki's shoulder, "is my second oldest, Nabiki." Putting his other hand on Akane's shoulder he said with the pride shining in his eyes, "And this is Akane. She will be the one to marry your son."

Nodoka smiled at the two girls. "They look like their mother."

**½**

Using his fork Ranma stabbed the food that was laid on his plate over and over again as his dad and King Soun caught up on old times. Genma finally woke up after he smelt dinner being brought out to the table where Soun had ushered everyone after he had introduced his daughters.

Speaking of daughters, Ranma couldn't keep his eyes off Soun's youngest daughter who he was told was his fiancé. She was sitting across from him at the long table where both royal families were sitting eating dinner. Every few minutes he would look up from his plate and watch her as she held her chin in her hand while the other hand stirred the soup Ranma had long ago finished.

He watched as she looked down at her soup with what looked like a stubborn look.

_Wonder what she's thinking about. _Ranma thought as he poked his food some more without ever taking his eyes off her.

All of a sudden she looked up and caught him starring at her. When her eyes looked into his, he felt his stomach flip over and a blush rise into his checks.

_Crap!_

Ranma turned his head to the side to hide his red face, but inside his head he was panicking.

_What do I do?! She just saw me looking at her!_

Akane just starred at him with her head cocked to the side and her eyebrows drawn in confusion. Not knowing what else to do, Ranma closed his eyes and stuck his tongue at her like child would do when they were teasing someone. He heard her gasp and opened his eyes in time to see her surprised expression turn into one of anger. He watched as she quickly grabbed a roll from the bowl that was sitting in front of her and hid it in her lap. After looking to make sure their parents wouldn't see, Akane drew her arm back and threw the roll with perfect aim hitting Ranma right in the eye.

Surprised by the force of her throw, Ranma looked at the others at the table. Nabiki smirked at Ranma as he began rubbing his eye and Kasumi held her hand in front of her mouth to hide her smile.

Looking back at Akane, his mouth dropped at the sight of Akane sticking her tongue back out at him.

_Oh this means war!_

**½**

I had really liked this chapter in the beginning, but the end felt weak to me. But it could just be me. Anyway, review if you wish! I would appreciate it!


	5. Getting Along

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Ok, two things before you start the chapter. One; the PSSA tests, suck! Boo government testing! Two; you all should check out Demetri Martin's "If I" stand up act. He's hilarious and incredibly smart. The whole thing is just…AMAZING. Like a slap in the face of awesomeness by a genius who can funny. It's totally worth it.

Anyway, thank you to those who reviewed and put this on their alert lists! Every review I get makes me do a happy dance in my head. And that's always fun.

**Disclaimer: **If I did own Ranma, my life would probably be more fulfilling…

**Chapter 5: Getting Along**

Akane was lying on her bed thinking about what happened at dinner that night. He had been quiet all throughout the beginning of dinner, but after she hit him in the eye with that roll, he just smirked and went back to eating his food.

_What was he sticking his tongue out at me for anyway?_

Outside her door Akane heard Doctor Tofu running by singing loudly with servants trying to get him calmed down right behind him. Akane starred at the canopy above her bed in utter confusion. She was used to Doctor Tofu running by her room due to seeing her Kasumi, but what was she supposed to make of this Prince Ranma guy?

_Well, he has major mood swings. _Akane thought with a sigh. _That and he's crazy. But they did just get here and he didn't seem too happy about the engagement either. I should at least try to be nice since he's stuck in the same crappy situation I am. So tomorrow, we'll start again! A clean slate!_

And as that as her last thought, Akane turned on her side and with only the sound of Doctor Tofu's singing and loud foot steps lulling her to sleep.

**½**

Just as Ranma got under his blanket to go to sleep, he heard a knock on his door. Grumbling, Ranma walked across the room and opened the door to see Ukyou standing in the doorway holding two cups.

"Care to talk?" Ukyou said holding up the cups with a nervous smile.

Ranma yawned while nodding his head yes. He walked over to his bed and sat waiting for Ukyou to join him with the drinks. She walked over and handed him one of the cups full of warm cider.

"So, how are you?" She asked while he gulped down the drink. Taking the cup away from his lips, he wiped the mustache the cider had left behind while wearing a thoughtful expression.

"Good I guess. My parents seem to be really happy to be able to see King Soun again. And mom was really happy to be able to see his daughters." He said looking down into the empty cup.

Ukyou took the cup from him and placed it on the floor next to his bed so it would be out of the way. Ranma leaned back on his arms looking up at the high ceiling.

"What do you think of her?" Ukyou asked in a quiet voice.

"Think of who?" He asked still looking at the ceiling.

"Don't play dumb Ranma. You know who I'm talking about."

Ranma let out a frustrated breath and glared at ceiling. "I honestly don't know how to describe what I think of her. Besides, I just met her tonight. We didn't even talk."

Ukyou looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I heard there was some commotion at the royal table between you two."

Ranma snickered. "She hit me in the eye with a dinner roll then stuck her tongue out at me while her sisters laughed."

She starred at him with wide eyes. "What a brat," she mumbled under her breath before taking a sip from her cup.

"She only did it because I stuck my tongue out at her first. She caught me, well, kind of starring at her," Ranma's cheeks turned slightly pink. "I panicked so I stuck my tongue out at her," Ranma said in a rush. He didn't know why he was so eager to defend some girl he hadn't even had a real conversation with yet. It was just another thing for Ranma to think about.

"You sure are acting strange. I can't remember another time when you actually admitted you were at fault," Ukyou said with a disguised hint of sadness underneath her skeptical voice.

"I didn't say I was wrong. I just said that I stuck my tongue out first," he said looking at her with his chin raised slightly in a stubborn expression.

"Same thing moron."

"No, there's a difference," he tried to convince her as she took another sip of cider. "Forget about what happened at dinner. How do you like it here?"

Ukyou started to cough on the cider she was about to swallow. "Me?"

"Yes you. What have you been doing since we got here?" Ranma asked with a true look of interest while looking her straight in the eye.

Ukyou turned her head away from his blue eyes hoping he didn't see her face get red. "Let me think...well, the only thing I've really been doing was working in the kitchen getting used to it and cooking and all that fun stuff. As for how I like it here, it's not very different from back home."

Silence fell on the best friends as they starred into the huge fancy room he was staying in each lost in their own thoughts.

"She's cute," Ukyou finally said breaking the silence, but still starring at the room.

Ranma's arms gave out from under him and he fell onto the bed. "W-what?!" he sputtered with wide eyes not even finding the strength to left himself off the bed.

"Oh grow up. She's cute. Don't you think?" she said before gulping down the rest of the cider in her cup.

Suddenly there was knocking on the door. Without saying a word, Ukyou picked up the empty cup from off the ground and walked over to the door opening it. There stood one of the servants Ukyou had gotten to know that day.

"You're needed in the kitchen. We apologize for having to call you at such a late time," Akari said with a lopsided smile.

"No problem at all!" Ukyou said with a smile. Turning around, she looked at the still lying Ranma. "Goodnight Ranma!"

Ranma waved goodbye as Ukyou closed the door behind her. He heard the two girls start talking happily as they walked down the hallway, their voices fading the farther they walked. He thanked the maid who knocked on his door over and over in his head for saving him from answering Ukyou.

_Do I think she's cute? _Ranma asked himself after a while of starring at nothing. He fell asleep thinking of a certain princess's brown eyes and angry pout.

**½**

Akane snuck glances at the prince eating across the table from her. She was determined to give this Prince Ranma guy the benefit of the doubt.

"Akane! Ranma!" King Soun said so suddenly Akane jumped in surprise. "I know you both were told that you would take lessons on becoming king and queen after the wedding, but last night Genma and I decided that you would be starting today."

Both prince and princess starred at the king with blank faces. Beside Akane, Kasumi placed her fork down. "Father, don't you think that they should get to know each other more before you start making them take lessons for ruling a kingdom?"

"Nonsense! There will be plenty of time for them to get to know one another later!" Genma said in his loud voice.

"No Genma, Kasumi is right. It's more important for them to get to know each other. After lessons today, maybe Akane could show Ranma around the gardens?" Nodoka said in hopeful voice looking at Akane.

"Um, sure. I'd be happy to show him around," Akane said tuning to Ranma and giving him a closed eye smile.

Ranma looked at her friendly smile. The only thing going through his mind was the conversation he and Ukyou had last night.

"_Oh grow up. She's cute. Don't you think?"_

Surprised at his own thoughts, Ranma made quick to get out of having to spend the day with someone he couldn't even see smile at him without blushing.

"Why do I have to get shown around some stupid garden with her?" Ranma said with disgust as he pointed a finger over at Akane.

A vein pulsed on the side of Akane's head as he spoke. "And what's so bad about that?" She said in a strained voice trying to stay calm.

"Nothing," he said in an innocent voice. "except for the fact that I would have to spend it with you."

"What?!" Akane said with fire in her eyes.

_Forget trying to be nice! This means war!_

"Ranma!" Nodoka gasped in shock at her son.

"Well, who said I would want to spend it with an idiot like you!"

"Akane!" Kasumi gasped in surprise at her sister.

"I think I would be the one worse off," Ranma scoffed.

_What a jerk! _Akane screamed in her head.

With lips pressed tightly together, Akane reached down beside her bowl and picked up the spoon laying beside it. With the same force as the last night, Akane threw the spoon hitting Ranma in the face.

"Ow! Do you enjoy throwing things at me at the dinner table?!"

"Why are you such a jerk? All I was doing was trying to be nice!" Akane yelled.

At that, Ranma grew quiet. He seemed deep in thought as Akane looked at him questionably while Queen Nodoka and Princess Kasumi started scolding the young prince and princess.

"Excuse me Your Highnesses, but the royal teacher you asked come teach Prince Ranma and Princess Akane has arrived and asks that they be brought in for lessons now," a servant said with a bow to both King Soun and Genma.

"Very good! Please tell Ms. Hinako that Ranma and Akane will be there soon," said Soun with a wide smile. At that, the servant bowed again and walked out of the dining room.

"One thing you kids should know before you head off to your classes for today. At the end of this week there will be a ball announcing your engagement," Soun nearly shouted as he shared a victory smile with Genma.

"What!?" both Akane and Ranma shouted at the same time. They looked at each other in what seemed like surprise before they started to glare.

"Go ahead to your lessons now kids," Genma said as he and Soun started celebrating.

"And Ranma," Nodoka said in a stern voice while giving Ranma the look only mothers can give when trying to say 'do this or else', "after lessons, if Akane is still willing, you will go to the gardens and get to know one another."

Just as Akane was about to open her mouth and tell Nodoka what she thought of her son, Kasumi spoke up saying, "Of course Akane will still show Prince Ranma around."

Seeing Kasumi's kind smile, Akane knew that there was no way out of it. Grumbling, both teens stood up from the table in fast angry manners. A servant walked up and bowed asking them to follow him to the room where that would hold the lessons.

Following the servant out of the room, they passed a very tired looking Nabiki standing in the doorway rubbing her eyes from sleep. Walking down the hallway, no one spoke. The only sound Akane heard were her and Ranma's loud stomping footsteps and the distant voice of Nabiki.

"What I'd miss?"

**½**

Muhahahaha! It's finally done. Pain in the butt chapter to write. Sorry if nothing really happened. More stuff is coming up! rubs hands manically

Reviewing is always welcomed. It's always nice hearing you did a good job on the chapter. Any ideas or criticism you guys have would help a lot too!

Thanks for reading!


	6. Lessons to be Learnt

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

I finally found some websites for free online manga so that's the reason for the long update. My apologies for keeping you all waiting.

Again, thank you to those who reviewed and put it on their alert list! I really appreciated them! And to Susu, your review made me laugh. Even if it wasn't meant to, kudos to you!

Here you all go! Enjoy the chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma 1/2, but it'd be cool if I did!

**Chapter 6: Lessons to Be Learnt **

Ranma was never one for school. Unless it was learning about a new way to throw a punch or something useful like that, Ranma found no need for it. And making him sit through this boring class with the one person who wouldn't leave his thoughts was just plain torture.

"Prince Ranma, please pay attention!"

Obviously, the teacher wasn't helping his situation at all. Ranma watched with half-lidded eyes as the long haired brunette wrote on a chalkboard that had been wheeled in by the servant who had led them to the classroom.

Ranma and Akane were sitting in desks that were placed right next to each other. Ranma turned to look at the girl sitting next to him. Akane looked just as she had at breakfast that morning with her chin leaning on her hand and the dullest look on her face that Ranma had ever seen before.

_Does she ever smile without an adult looking? Geez…_

"Prince Ranma!" Ms. Hinako yelled as she slapped her hand down his desk, effectively scaring the boy out of his thoughts. "This is very important information you will need to know! Please pay attention!"

With that, Ms. Hinako turned around to write more on the bored. Next to him, Ranma heard Akane snicker. Just as he was about to say something to her, Ms. Hinako turned around and started speaking.

"In these lessons, not only will you both be learning about the political views of each kingdom, but extended lessons of the math, history, literature, and etiquette that you have already learned."

As annoying as the teacher's whole proper attitude was, Ranma found it even more annoying that they would have to learn all the stuff they already learned over again.

_Isn't learning this junk once enough!?_

He looked at Ms. Hinako with a look of disbelief and his mouth hanging open.

"Please close your mouth Prince Ranma. It's not very polite to stare at someone as you are right now," Ms. Hinako said with her nose slightly in the air.

His jaw only dropped down even wider with surprise. Ranma turned to look at what Akane thought of all of this. Seeing her worried face, he snapped his mouth closed and put on a look of worry himself.

_What's wrong with her?_

"You will meet here for these classes which are held at exactly eight o'clock. That means having to get up earlier then usual to eat breakfast. You should also know that being late to my class will not be tolerated." She said looking Ranma straight in the eye. He gulped nervously as she continued talking.

"A different subject will be taught on each day of lessons. Monday's lesson will be focused on math, Tuesday history, Wednesday literature, Thursday kingdom politics, and Friday will be focused on etiquette." Both Ranma and Akane wore confused faces as they tried to understand what the teacher was saying in such a rush.

"On Saturdays and Sundays classes will not be held. Now, do either of you have any questions?" she finally finished.

"Um yea," Ranma asked with his hand raised slightly, "Could ya repeat that?"

Ms. Hinako's eyes narrowed as she glared at the prince. "I suggest you give very much attention to the etiquette lessons this week, Prince Ranma. The kingdom will not approve of such an ill mannered king ruling."

_Where did that come from?! She didn't even answer my question…_

Ranma watched as Ms. Hinako turned to Akane and smiled a kind smile. "Do you have any questions Princess? You've been very quiet today."

"Actually, I do. Would you mind repeating the lesson schedule again? I didn't catch all of it," Akane said with a small smile on her lips.

"Of course I can Princess! Math lessons…"

_I don't believe this! I ask and she starts saying, "The kingdom will hate you!" But Akane asks and it's no problem at all!_

"Prince Ranma!" Ms. Hinako yelled. "Did you hear any of that?"

That's when Ranma realized that he was starring angrily out in space not even paying attention to the question he still needed answered.

"Of course I did," Ranma said while waving his hand as if to dismiss the possibility of him not listening.

Ms. Hinako looked down at Ranma with a raised eyebrow. "If that's the case, then I will dismiss class early today. We'll officially start lessons tomorrow. I expect you both to be here at the appointed time ready to learn Tuesday's subject."

Showing that she was done, Ms. Hinako bowed in front of their desks, her long brown hair sweeping down over her shoulder. Ranma and Akane stood from their chairs and walked to the door.

"And Prince Ranma," Ms. Hinako said as she stood from her bow. "I'll repeat this for your sake. I do not tolerate lateness to my class."

Ranma gave her a cheeky smile. "Gotcha Teach!" He waved goodbye and turned back toward the door before he could see the vein that throbbed on her forehead.

Facing the door, Ranma's smile turned to a scowl.

_School sucks._

**½**

Akane couldn't help but pity Ranma at least a tiny bit. Right from the start it seemed that Ms. Hinako didn't like him for some reason.

"Hey Princess," Akane rolled her eyes as Ranma waved his hand in front of her eyes to get her attention, "what did the vampire in there say about what time we have to be there by?"

"Did you just call her a vampire?" Akane asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I think the name suits her. She just sucks all the life out of ya with one class!" he said with a boyish grin on his face.

Akane tried to hide the smile that came to her face, but couldn't turn her head fast enough away before Ranma saw it. She saw Ranma smile a smile that seemed to bright his whole face.

"You think so too, don't you? So, tell me, what did she say about all that junk?" Ranma asked lightheartedly as he leaned his head back on linked fingers.

"Why didn't you pay attention when I asked vamp- I mean, Ms. Hinako to repeat what she said?" she asked good naturedly causing a maid who was cleaning a vase in the hallway the royals were walking through do a double take. No one thought that the boy their young princess was arranged to be married to would be on such good terms with the violent girl so soon in arriving.

Ranma stopped walking and gave Akane an exasperated look. "Well, sorry if I was having a mental rant about the unfairness of the vampire!"

"Well you don't have to yell at me because of it!" Akane yelled at Ranma, balling her hands into fists.

They glared at each other with noses scrunched up with stubbornness. When it became clear that neither one would let up, Akane closed her eyes and sighed.

"She said classes will start at eight o'clock everyday except for Saturday and Sunday," she said looking Ranma straight in the eye. "And whatever you do, don't be late. She seemed pretty serious about that part…"

She started walking down the hall and with Ranma walking by her side. Scratching his check with his index finger, Ranma looked down at the floor. "Thanks."

Akane looked over at him and saw the slight blush on his face. She wiped her head forward and said with a blush of her own, "Your welcome."

They kept their pace down the hall, walking side by side in awkward silence.

_Since when is this hallway so long?!_

Passing paintings and other maids and servants cleaning or passing through the same hallway, Akane started to wonder if they would ever start talking again.

"So," Ranma began in an uncomfortable voice, "where are we going?"

"Out to the gardens. I said to your mom that I would show you around out there didn't I?" Akane said in an obvious voice at the look of surprise that Ranma gave her.

"I- I didn't think you would still do it after this morning," Ranma stuttered, still looking at Akane with surprise written on his face.

_Good point._

"Oh please. Don't be so stupid. I wouldn't just not show you the garden because of a stupid fight we had. Besides, Kasumi is still expecting me to show you around."

"Oh."

_Here's the awkward silence again. Geez, it's like the frickin' plague isn't it?_

The giant doors to the back gardens then came into view. Sighing in relief, Akane walked faster to the doors in an almost run, Ranma right beside her doing the same.

Holding her hand on the door knob, Akane turned to Ranma with a smile. "Ready to see one of the greatest gardens ever created?" she said with the smile still on her face.

She tilted her head to the side in confusion when Ranma turned his head away in one quick motion as if to avoid looking at her.

"It's just a garden," Ranma said with his face still to the side.

Akane turned so she was fully facing the garden doors as a vein visibly throbbed on her head. "I was just trying to make it a little more exciting. Geez…"

"What's with girls and flowers anyway?" Ranma asked with his voice drifting by the end.

Akane turned her head around and stuck her tongue out at Ranma.

_What a jerk!_

Ranma just sort of starred at her for a while before quickly blurting out with wide eyes "You're so not cute!"

"What?!" Akane yelled in shock and anger. She balled her fist and threw her arm towards Ranma's head.

Holding his bruised cheek, Ranma looked at the garden doors determinedly. "Let's just get this over with."

"Hmph" was all Akane managed to think of to say as she turned back to the giant garden doors and turned the door knob. Sunlight brightened the hallway and wind hit their faces as they looked out into the garden.

"Let's go," Akane said with an angry tone of voice.

_Well, this is going to be fun. Not. Man, boys suck._

**½**

I make you wait all this time just for this? What a jerk. Again, I'm so sorry to keep anyone who is keeping up with this story wait for so long. I'll try not to update so late again.

Please review! Whether it's to tell me you liked it, you think it's confusing, or just to say that you think it sucks. Feed back is most appreciated!

Thank you for reading!


	7. The Lost Boy

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and put this on their alert list and all that jazz. The happy dances just keep on coming! It really helps writing this knowing that you guys are enjoying it! And to Susu, again, your reviews make me laugh! I'm actually angry that I can never respond to them. I didn't think it was rude. Flattered actually that you wanted me to update!

Um, little fun fact, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has to be one of the funniest movies ever. I wish I were cool and creepy enough to laugh like Johnny Depp does when he plays Willy Wonka. If only…

**Disclaimer:** I do own Ranma. He's tied up in closet right now.

**Chapter 7: The Lost Boy**

_I can't believe I told her that she wasn't cute! What am I, two?_

Ranma's thoughts weren't on the garden that he and Akane were walking through. The different flowers and different smells did nothing to calm the berating Ranma was giving himself.

_She has a nice punch at least._

"So what do you think?" Akane said in a surprisingly light tone. Ranma watched as she bent over some blue flower and smell it. A wide smile spread on her face as she straightened her back, closed her eyes, turned her face upwards, and warmed her face in the bright sunlight.

Still smiling, she turned back to Ranma and asked again, "What do you think of the garden?"

Blaming it on the heat, Ranma's face got red as he looked at her smiling face. Clearing his throat, Ranma answered with what he hoped was a causal voice. "It's nice, I guess. Don't know what you were saying earlier about the greatest garden ever created."

The vein in Akane's head was visibly throbbing again. Taking deep calming breaths, Akane stuck her tongue out at Ranma playfully.

"You're lucky this is my favorite place in the whole castle. Or else your teeth would be lying on the ground right about now."

"Why is this your favorite place?" Ranma with true curiosity while inwardly sighing in relief that Akane didn't get angry at his comment.

Looking at many bushes and flower beds, a sad smile appeared on her face. "Out of all the places in the castle, this was my mom's favorite place too. She and I used to come out here all the time and just walk around looking at the new flowers that would bloom from last summer."

"Oh," was all Ranma managed to say. He was never very good at uncomfortable situations.

_Now what do I do?!_

Thanks to his little mental panic attack, he didn't realize that Akane had walked right in front of him with her head tilted to the side (as was her fashion when she confused) starring at him, counting in her head how long it took for him to come back to earth.

Finally realizing the princess's face was right in front of his, Ranma's face glowed red as he jumped into the air with a yelp of surprise.

Pressing his hand over his heart, he tried to calm his rapid breathing. "What'd ya do that for?!" he yelled when his he finally got his breathing back to normal.

With glaring eyes, he watched as she giggled and linked her hands behind her back. "It took you 30 whole seconds to figure out I was there. Not as much as Kuno, but it's still up there concerning the record."

At then mention of some other boy's name, an unfamiliar feeling hit Ranma in the pit of his stomach.

_Kuno?_

"Who's Kuno?"

"Kuno? Oh just one of the noble's son. Always comes around when his father has business with mine." Akane said in a bored voice while picking up a purple flower from a flower bed lying next to her feet.

Not sure why he was feeling slightly angry at the mention on this guy, he asked in a rougher voice then he meant to. "And what did you mean by record?"

Apparently not noticing the murderous look in Ranma's eye, she chuckled as she twirled the flower between her fingers. "The poor soul has a crush on me. My sisters and I keep a record of how long he'll kind of just, I don't know…daydream I guess you could say. The longest time so far was a whole two minutes before we finally got bored of waiting for him to snap out of it. We ended up leaving him in the hall and went to play with Kasumi's dolls in her room." Looking at the clear blue sky, she chuckled again. "It was a fun day come to think of it!"

Seeing the smile on her face at the memory of some _Kuno _person, the feeling in Ranma's stomach grew bigger.

"Does it bother you?" Akane asked with an almost hopeful voice.

"Does what bother me?" he said as he crossed his arms and looking to the side.

"That Kuno-what is that!?" Akane screamed as she pointed at something black and yellow slumped in the corner of a part of the huge garden.

Not having to think twice, Ranma jumped into the air, somersaulted, and landed in front of Akane. Positioning himself in a battle stance, he waited for the thing that was heaped in the shadow of a tree that hung over head.

Looking over his shoulder where her hands were now resting, she asked in a whisper, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. It looks like some sort of monster…" Ranma said, trying to get a better look.

All of a sudden, the heap moved, revealing a boy's face wearing a pained expression.

"Oh my gosh!" Akane cried as she ran out from behind Ranma and started running to the injured boy in the corner.

The same feeling from before hit the pit of Ranma's stomach like someone had just punched him as he watched Akane run to the boy, looking as if she were ready to take care of him.

_Who is this guy?!_

**½**

"Are you alright?!" Akane urgently asked the boy.

Kneeling next to him, Akane noticed the yellow bandana he wore across his forehead that was splattered with mud. His face was covered in dirt and all different kinds of leaves were tangled in his black hair.

"Hey, are you ok? Should I get someone here to help you?"

The boy groaned as he opened his eyes and looked toward the worried princess. Akane was sure that concern was written on her face like the word loser is written on a forehead. His eyes grew huge and Akane could have sworn he started to blush as she placed her hand on his forehead to check for a fever.

"You're burning up!"

"Where am I?" he asked in a dazed voice while starring in amazement at Akane.

"The castle gardens," came Ranma's disgruntled voice from behind Akane. Forgetting he was even there, Akane jumped at the sound of his voice. "Now it's our turn. Who are you and why are you here?" He asked in a voice that sounded like he was trying to hold in anger.

"Ranma! That doesn't matter right now. He needs to see Doctor Tofu!" Turning back to him she asked while picking a leaf from his hair, "What's your name?"

The blush was back full force on his face as he answered with a stutter, "R-R-Ryoga."

"Well Ryoga, I'm Akane and the one standing behind me being difficult is Ranma. It's nice to meet you!" Akane said finishing off with a smile.

Ryoga just kept starring at Akane's smiling face. Before she could ask Ryoga another question, she felt a strong grip pulling on her arm to stand up.

"Come on Akane. We can get someone else to come and take him to…what's his name," Ranma said tugging on the arm he still had a hold of towards the entrance of the garden from the castle.

"What's his name? You mean you haven't met Doctor Tofu yet? Well, now's the perfect time! We can take Ryoga to get treated and then just introduce you to him!"

"I can just meet him some other time," Ranma said in a rush while still tugging her arm.

"Why are you being such a baby about it?"

"Why do I have to meet this Tofu guy anyway!?"

Yanking her arm out of Ranma's grip, Akane answered angrily, "Why? One; he's the doctor. You should have already met him when your dad got knocked out! But you didn't even go check on him! Two; Doctor Tofu is a great guy! You would really like him. Three; poor Ryoga here is sick! He needs help!" She said while counting off each point on her fingers.

"Poor Ryoga?! You just met the fool two minutes ago! You don't even know why he's here!"

"Um excuse me," a weak voice came from the ground.

"Well it obviously wasn't an easy trip if he looks like that and has a fever!" Akane said looking as if she were about to hit Ranma.

"Excuse me," the weak voice said a little louder.

"If you're so concerned about him then let's go get someone to help!"

"Why should we go get someone when we're right here able to help him out now!?"

"EXCUSE ME!" Ryoga's weak voice screamed. The teenage royals turned their heads from glaring at each other to see Ryoga standing up, leaning on what seemed like a yellow umbrella. As he opened his mouth to say something, he swayed to the side and his eyes rolled back. Before he hit the ground, Ranma caught him and held him up.

Seeing the frightened look on Akane's face, Ranma said gruffly, "It's fine. He just fainted."

They stood in an awkward silence, neither one wanting to be the one to give up their argument.

Sighing and slinging an arm around his shoulders Ranma asked, "Are you going to help carry him or are you just going to let me do it all?"

Smiling in victory, Akane rushed up and slung Ryoga's other arm around her smaller shoulders and together they walked to the castle doors.

"Thank you Ranma," Akane said looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"Yah, yah. Whatever."

Missing the blush on his stubborn face, Akane looked ahead with a smile.

_Off to Tofu's!_

**½**

I actually like this chapter. Not exactly sure how you all are going to feel about it, but I'm pretty proud of it!

Do me a favor and tell me what you thought! Reviewing is so helpful! Am I being too descriptive when I'm saying how someone is talking? I just think said is such a boring word on its own. Any who, please review and tell me what you think!

Thank you for reading!


	8. Legend Has It

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

I have to say, thank to everyone who reviewed! I honestly never expected as many people as there are to like the story. For my first story, I was going to be happy with two reviews. So, I really appreciate you all taking the time and telling me what you think of it. If you want, you can imagine me giving you all a cheesy smile and two thumbs up.

To Susu and anyone else who is wondering, yes Ranma and everyone will have their curses. Susu, you totally reminded me that I still have to do that. So, you can probably expect it in the next chapter or the one after that. (Thank you, Susu!)

**Disclaimer:** I wish I did, but sadly, I do not.

**Chapter 8: Legend Has It**

As they walked down the halls, the usual servants and maids stared and whispered. Many came up to assist the young royals, but to each one, Akane assured them that they were fine to make it to Doctor Tofu's on their own.

_Why does this feel like the longest day ever?_

"Here we are!" Akane said with a voice full of excitement. Ranma only scoffed and adjusted Ryoga's arm better around his shoulders.

They opened the door only to find a room full of empty beds, tables of medicine, and a skeleton hanging from a pole attached to the wall on the far side of the fairly big room. Through the windows the bright sun was still shining with a view of the forest that bordered the side of the castle.

Ranma followed Akane's lead and started walking to a bed to place Ryoga in. As they laid the dirty boy down on the bed, he groaned in pain and rolled onto his side.

"He looks like he's in so much pain…" Akane said barely above a whisper. Ranma scoffed again at her concern.

"It looks like the doctor isn't even in here Akane. Why don't we just leave?"

"We can't do that Ranma!"

"Why not?"

"You can't you just leave a sick person alone like this with no one to look after him!" Akane said in a surprised voice.

"We can get someone else to," Ranma tried suggesting. When he saw that Akane wasn't going to leave until Doctor Tofu came, he grumbled and walked to a chair near the end of the bed. Akane only smiled at his obvious defeat and clasped her hands behind her back. Walking to the window, she looked out and started humming what sounded like a blue's song to Ranma.

After a few minutes of only Akane's humming, the young prince began to get impatient. Sighing, he walked over to where Akane was still looking out the window and stood next to her and looked out himself.

"How far does that forest go to the other side?"

Akane turned her head towards him to answer, but instead only saw how close each of their faces were to each other. She quickly turned her head back to look out the window rather then Ranma's close face, trying to hide her burning cheeks from the sight of the boy currently starring out the window.

"No one knows." Seeing the confused face of the handsome boy had, she sighed before saying, "That's the Jusenkyo Forest. It's forbidden to go in there."

Waiting for more, Ranma turned fully to look at the princess with a raised eyebrow. Seeing the look she was getting, Akane sighed and continued.

"They say that once you go in, you never come out."

"Who's 'they'?" Ranma asked with a smile. Akane hit him on top of his head.

"Do you want to hear the rest of it or not?" Akane said while stabbing his chest with her index finger.

Nodding and rubbing the newly required bump on his head and bruise forming on his chest, he nodded his head yes and listened as she continued her story.

"Legend has it; a boy went into the forest as a dare. He would only win the dare if he went as deep into the forest as he could before the sun went down. Next thing you knew, the sun went down, and no boy came out. He was never seen again."

Ranma looked at her with a blank expression. "No one went tried find him?"

Akane starred right back at him with the same blank face. "Of course they tried. But they couldn't go too far or they would have been lost too," she said in a matter of fact tone.

_Ya, I'm the dumb one._

"And it's not like that was the only case that someone went in and never came out again. That's just the one time that everyone is sure really happened."

Silence fell on the two as they went back to starring out the window. Not knowing what to say next, Ranma lifted his index finger to say something when he felt a skinny boney hand place itself on his shoulder.

"Aaaaah!" he screamed as he jumped back up against the wall trying to hold on for dear life. A man in blue wearing glasses stood holding the skeleton that was just hanging on the pole in his hands. His glasses reflected the sunlight from outside as he looked at the young royals.

"I'm sorry. Did I scare you?" he said kindly to Ranma.

_No, I did that for fun! _Ranma thought sarcastically as he watched the man turn his head to look at Akane.

"Princess! How are you today?" he said with a smile. Across the room, they heard Ryoga groan and pull the pillow he was using over his head to block out the noise. The smile never left his face as he laid the skeleton on one of the beds and walked over to where the sick was lying down.

"Oh I'm fine Doctor Tofu, but Ryoga over there isn't doing so well."

"He doesn't look it," Tofu said while bending over and examining him. "It seems like he just has a fever. Nothing to worry about!" he exclaimed as he stood straight. He walked to one of the tables full of medicine and picked up a blue bottle. "A little of this and he'll be good as new in no time."

Ranma watched as the doctor carefully measured whatever kind of medicine the blue bottle contained.

"Doctor Tofu, this is Prince Ranma," Akane said, gesturing to where Ranma stood.

"Ah Prince Ranma, it's a pleasure meeting you," Tofu said, nodding his head in acknowledgment at Ranma as he sat Ryoga up and made him take the medicine.

"Uh, you too Doctor Tofu," Ranma said scratching the back of his head, feeling awkward.

"So how do you like the castle so far Prince Ranma?"

"All I've really seen was the garden, my room, and where we eat at," Ranma told him, relaxing a bit at Tofu's attempt at small talk.

He zoned out as Akane and Tofu starting a conversation. For some reason, Ranma couldn't stop thinking about the Jusenkyo Forest. The sound of danger that Jusenkyo had in just the unfamiliar name, made Ranma's ego grow even bigger at the chance to prove that he could be the first person to come out.

He was jolted out of his thoughts as the sound of knocking echoed in the room. Doctor Tofu walked over and opened the door.

"Oh, hello there!"

**½**

In the doorway stood Akari, smiling at Doctor Tofu before turning and bowing at Akane and Ranma.

"Good afternoon Doctor Tofu! Can I please speak with Princess Akane?" Akari said in such a sweet voice that could make candy sick.

"Of course," Tofu said as he stepped aside, allowing Akari to walk into the room.

"Your sister, Princess Kasumi, asked me to come and get you so the tailor can start work on the dress you are going to wear to the ball."

Slumping her shoulders, Akane said in a depressed voice, "Alright. Let's go."

"The princess also asked me to give back to you the book that she barrowed from you Doctor Tofu," Akari said, take out a book from under her apron.

_Where was she hiding that thing?! _Akane thought while looking at the huge medical book Akari was now holding out to Tofu.

Akane smiled and turned to Ranma, wanting to see how he would take the new attitude she knew Doctor Tofu was going have now that Kasumi's name was mentioned.

"Princess Kasumi you say?" Akane heard him say from behind her. She smiled even wider seeing Ranma's eyes widen. She turned back around and saw the doctor's glasses fogged up and a huge smile on his face.

"We should go Akari," Akane said deciding to leave Ranma to his fate with Doctor Tofu.

Sensing what Akane was thinking, Ranma turned to her with wide frightened eyes. "I'll go with you guys!"

"Oh no you don't you pervert! Stay here and talk or something, while I have to get a new dress made."

Ranma looked defeated as she and Akari walked out the room and down the hall side by side.

"How were the classes today Princess?" Akari asked kindly.

"Let's just say that they will prove to be very interesting."

"And how was walking around the garden?"

"Oh! We found a boy named Ryoga. He has a fever and looks like he's been through a lot."

"And how do you like Prince Ranma?"

"Nice try, Akari."

Akari only smiled as they reached the tailor's door and walked in.

**½**

"Ranma!" Ukyou yelled as she ran down the hall, waving her hand in the air trying to get the young prince's attention.

"Hey Ukyou," Ranma said in a tired voice when she finally caught up with him.

"Why are you so perky?" she said with a smile.

"I spent the afternoon with Doctor Tofu," he told her, rubbing his eye in an act of tiredness.

"I met him yesterday. He seemed like a pretty laid back kind of guy," she said glancing at him with a raised eyebrow.

Seeing that he was still being questioned about his lack of enthusiasm, he stopped in the middle of the hall where they were walking and turned to her. "He started acting funny after a maid came in and handed him some book that Akane's sister borrowed. I had to help him find the right medicine and doors the rest of the day."

"Akane? You mean the princess?" Ukyou said with her head bowed, so her bangs were hiding her eyes.

"Uh ya. I have to go to classes with her now. And we went for this walk in the gardens today and found some strange guy with a fever. She was acting all… _concerned_ about some guy she didn't even know!"

"It sounds like you're jealous," Ukyou told him with sadness in her voice.

"Jealous? No way! Why would I be jealous of some dirty, lost… sick guy?" Ranma tried convincing her.

Knowing it was no use, Ukyou attempted changing the subject. "So, why did Doctor Tofu start acting funny?"

"Must have had something to do with the book," Ranma said with a shrug of his shoulders.

**½**

There you are my pretties. I haven't read any updated stories for a couple days now so I could finish this and get it posted. That's love, let me tell you.

So anyway, please review. Life is always better with reviews.

(By the way, if anyone got the thing with the blues song, then you're awesome. If you didn't, ask me and I'll explain. I personally thought it was clever. ; )


	9. Over the River, Through the Woods

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Woot woot! And sorry if this is updated kind of late. School leaves little time for writing on here. Plus, my internet is down for some reason. Sorry!

To Azusa, it was the episode! I'm glad you got it!

**Disclaimer: **Yes, I am a fully grown Japanese man… secretly.

**Chapter 9: Over the River, Through the Woods**

The boy in the seat next to hers was getting on her last nerve. Her hands were balled up in fists on her desk and her jaw was clenched tight.

_Not in class, Akane. You just can't kill him in class._

In the desk next to hers, Ranma had his head lying on his arms, sleeping while Ms. Hinako had her back turned to them as she wrote something on the black board.

It was only the beginning of the week and already Akane was tired of school. After having to listen to Ranma get scolded about how being late will not be excused next time, then having to deal with the most boring history lesson Akane has ever had to endure, and then seeing Ranma drool on his paper, Akane was not very happy. Ready to drop kick anyone that spoke to her was a better way of describing it.

"That was a very important part of it. Now, there are many ways the then current king could have dealt with the situation," Ms. Hinako said while circling a sentence she wrote on the board with a sweep of her hand. "Now who can tell me…"

Sensing that Ms. Hinako was going to turn around, and not wanting to hear her yell at Ranma again, Akane stomped on the sleeping boy's foot. With a start, Ranma sat up quickly and gave a yelp while holding on to his desk for his life.

"Do you know the answer Prince Ranma?" Ms. Hinako said with a surprised face, taking his yelp as anticipation to answer the question.

Akane merely smirked at him while Ranma looked over at her with a surprised face of his own obviously asking her for help. Seeing that he was not going to get any, Ranma scowled and turned his head to look at the board where the circled sentence still showed.

Akane's eyes widened as she saw a smile grow on Ranma's face. "Well vamp- I mean, Ms. Hinako, after the king banned the five soldiers out of the kingdom, the people who knew of the king's real plan rebelled against him thus making the start of a civil war."

Both Akane and Ms. Hinako's jaw dropped and their eyes widen in surprise as they stared at the smiling prince.

_Ranma actually said something smart?!_

A shocked silence filled the room as Ranma just smiling at the obvious surprise at his answer on both their faces.

"Was I right Ms. Hinako?" Ranma said while still wearing the same smug smile.

Clearing her throat, Ms. Hinako turned back to the black board, her long brunette hair swishing behind her.

"Yes Prince Ranma, you are indeed correct. I believe that's enough lessons today. Until tomorrow's lesson then. Do not be late!" she yelled out as Akane and Ranma picked up their books and rushed out of the room.

Before passing through the door way, Akane looked back at Ms. Hinako to see her sitting on top of the desk, tossing a coin up and down, looking as shocked as Akane still felt.

"Are you coming?" Ranma asked from behind where Akane stood.

"How did you know the answer to that question?!" Akane said rushing to catch up with the black haired prince who was walking ahead down the all too familiar hallway. "I didn't even know you knew what the question was!"

"Despite popular belief Akane, I do know some things," Ranma said wearing a satisfied look.

"Well, who would have thought," Akane said thoughtfully. "Where are you heading to?"

Ranma started to push his two index fingers together in an act of nervousness and a slight blush came to his cheeks. "I was going to the garden." Akane stood frozen as his blue eyes lifted themselves and met her gaze. "Wanna come?"

**½**

_I think I'm about to throw up. _

Ranma couldn't remember ever being so nervous. While he really hoped that his face was calm (or at least not in a full out sweat), he couldn't help but fidget with his fingers. What made him ask her to come with him he would never know.

_It's not like it's a date or anything like that. Just stay calm._

Scared to see how she was going to react to his offer, he looked down at his fingers and pushed them against each other again. He could feel his face growing hotter and hotter in embarrassment.

"I'm supposed to go to the tailor's so I can get fitted for my dress for the ball," he heard Akane mumble. He slumped his shoulders in disappointment and let his arms hang down at his sides. Looking up, he was surprised to see Akane looking disappointed as well.

"Aw that's ok. It's not like it's a big deal or anything," Ranma said with a wave of his hand.

An awkward silence fell between them as they stood in the hallway, each trying to avoid eye contact with the other.

"You know," Akane said with a look that said she just got an idea, "Kasumi isn't even going to be there for a while."

Perking up, Ranma said trying to sound casual, "And the ball isn't until the end of the week."

"And it's not like I can't just go some other time," Akane said with a smile.

There was a comfortable silence as they stood smiling at each other, finally being able to look at each other's faces. A strange feeling settled itself in Ranma's gut as he stood looking at Akane's smile. His feet suddenly grew a mind of their own as Ranma stepped closer to Akane.

Blue stared into brown as they stood in a trance, each slowly moving toward each other unconsciously.

_I don't know anything about this girl. Why do I feel like this?_ Ranma thought as the feeling in his gut grew larger when he saw Akane take a step closer to him.

"There you are little sister."

Ranma and Akane jumped in surprise as they stumbled backwards, trying to make the distance grow between them.

"There is someone in the main hall wanting to see you and Prince Ranma," Nabiki told them, while looking at them both with a knowing look. Both the young prince and princess's face grew hotter as they tried to hide their embarrassment by looking at their feet.

Clearing her throat, Akane lifted her head and looked at her sister with a look begging for mercy. "Really? Who is it?"

"Kuno Baby," she said with a sly smile. "He seemed pretty upset too."

"Why would he be upset?" Akane asked with her head tilted to the side and her eyebrows furrowed in her signature look of curiosity. Ranma stood beside Akane with his lips pressed tight together.

_I'm not jealous. I'M NOT JEALOUS! _

"It seems like someone spilled the beans about you and lover-boy's engagement."

"Who did that?!" Both Akane and Ranma said in angry voices.

They watched as Nabiki pulled out money from behind her back and started to slowly count it in front of them. "Business is business little sister. Besides, he would have found out Saturday at the ball," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"So it's Saturday huh? How come we don't get told anything, when this whole is supposedly about us?" Akane asked, oblivious of the prince standing next to her with a tear drop sliding down the side of his head.

"You'd better get going to see him. He keeps saying something about an evil wizard or something like that…" Nabiki told them in a bored voice while walking away down the hall.

"Let's go," Ranma said in an angry sounding voice. He began walking in the direction that Nabiki had just come from with a stern expression showing on his face.

"Wait!" Akane shouted as she grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him from walking to the main hall. Ranma felt his skin burn where her hands held his arm. "Can't we just go to the gardens? Kuno isn't worth seeing anyway."

Ranma looked into her brown eyes as she looked at him, pleading him not to go to the main hall. "Why don't you want me going to see him?" Ranma asked.

Looking down, Ranma heard her mumble at her feet, "Because I feel like after the ball, everything will become so… official. I barely know you Ranma. And marriage isn't exactly something I'm ready for."

She let go of his arm and he watched as strands of her long blue black hair fell loose from her bow, barely noticing that the place where her hands were was still searing hot.

"Girls," Ranma scoffed, "can't even go to a simple garden alone. Boy, glad I'm not one." He started heading to the garden doors before stopping and turning around to face the shocked face of Akane. "Are you coming or what?"

Akane's surprised face softened into a smile. She walked passed him, smacking the back of his head as she went. "You better not let Nabiki hear how many times you stick your foot in your mouth Ranma. She'll make a bundle off you."

**½**

"So, why does your sister call that guy Kuno Baby?" Ranma asked as they walked passed a rose bush.

"I made him cry or something when we were younger. Ever since, Nabiki's called him Kuno Baby," Akane said with a laugh.

They stopped at the edge of the garden where there was a clear view of the forest.

"I thought you said that forest was forbidden to go in?" Ranma asked while looking at the overgrown grass that seemed to be the divider of where the gardens ended and the forest began.

"It is," Akane said, not really paying attention to what he was saying.

"Well, then why is it just out in the open like that?" Ranma said, pointing to the many trees all standing together while Akane came and stood next to him.

"Everyone's too scared to go in."

"Have you?"

"Have I what?" Akane asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Have you ever gone in?" Ranma said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's forbidden you moron. Of course I haven't gone in," Akane said in a matter of fact tone.

"Oh I see how it is," Ranma said with a smile that made Akane want to punch him, "you're scared to go in just like everyone else."

"I am not scared!" Akane said in a stern voice. "I just want to set a good example of following the rules."

"Example for who exactly?" he said with the same smile on his face.

_Crap._

Akane blinked as she looked at his smiling face. "Who? Well, there are the servants for one. And… others."

_Geez, even I can hear how lame that sounds._

"Sounds to me like you're scared to go in yourself," Ranma told her as he linked his hands together behind his back and started taking steps towards the tall grass.

"I'm not scared! And what do you think you're doing?!" Akane shouted as she watched the boy prince walk towards Jusenkyo Forest. When he didn't turn around or stop, Akane shouted out louder, "Hello? Are you deaf?!"

At this, Ranma stopped and turned around telling her in a care free tone, "No. Not deaf. Just ignoring you."

"Jerk!"

"Look Akane. I get that you're too scared to come along. Why don't you just go to the tailors and get your dress ready," he said, waving his hand as to say no to worry.

_Is he trying to start something?!_

"I'm not scared!"

"Then prove it," Ranma said crossing his arms.

"What?" Akane said, taken back from Ranma's sudden challenge.

"I said, prove that you're not scared to come along with me into the forest," Ranma said with a smirk.

_You've got to be kidding me._

With an angry huff, Akane picked up the hem of her skirt and started walking toward a now fully smiling Ranma.

"After you," Ranma said while bowing with his arm out in a gesture for her to go.

"Don't start pretending politeness now Ranma. You just look stupid," Akane said while walking ahead and rolling her eyes.

"Maybe, but then people just get distracted by my amazingly good looks," Ranma said with a smile as he followed Akane into the forest.

**½**

Passing through a clump of trees, Ranma rubbed the newly required bump on his head.

"Honestly, that's the third thing you have thrown at me since I got here. First food, then silverware, and now sticks! What else are you planning on throwing at me? A table?"

"Why? Will it shut you up?" Akane asked as she watched Ranma climb over a fallen tree.

"That really hurt you know," Ranma mumbled to himself, ignoring her last question.

"Oh, cry me a river."

"Only if you build me a bridge!" he said with a boyish grin.

"Ranma," Akane said while ignoring his offered hand to help her climb over the log, "the only reason why I would ever build you a bridge is so I could push you off it." Ranma could only gulp at her seriousness.

"How far are we going in, anyway?" Akane asked.

"I don't know. Until we find something interesting I guess."

"Like that," Akane said, pointing over Ranma's shoulder. Turning around, Ranma saw hundreds upon hundreds of springs. A sign hanging from two trees in a language neither could read.

"That'll do."

They looked at each other then toward the springs.

"Do you know what that says?" Ranma asked as they walked underneath the hanging banner.

"You obviously don't get that I have never been in here before do you?" Akane said sarcastically.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to find out for ourselves," Ranma said with a smile.

"Oh man!"

"What?!" Ranma said, looking around in panic.

"I ripped my dress," Akane pouted.

_Girls… _thought Ranma as he rolled his eyes. _I'm so glad I will never have to wear a dress. Ever!_

**½**

Some of you had said that the chapters should be longer. So, long enough?

Don't know how I exactly feel about this chapter. How do you all feel about it? Review and tell me what you think! And just a heads up, they will definitely get the curses next chapter. Sorry I'm taking so long!

So, please review. And thanks for reading!


	10. Cursed is the Worst

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Yay! Chapter 10! Finally…

Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed and put it on their favorites list! I really appreciate it! I hope you guys like the chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ranma ½… yet.

**Chapter 10: Cursed is the Worst**

Gray clouds were rolling over the Jusenkyo Forest only to go unnoticed by the young royals as they examined the many springs spread out all over the ground.

"Ranma, I don't have a good feeling about this place…" Akane mumbled under her breath as the pair stood on the edge of a spring.

_Where are all the animals that should be here?_

Akane's worried face and Ranma's curious one stared back at them as they looked into a spring surrounded by so many others.

"What's the worse that's going to happen, Akane? We fall in and get a little wet?" Ranma asked sarcastically. He bent down and sat on his knees, leaning forward to get a better look at the clear blue water.

"A little wet? Do you see how deep these springs look Ranma?" Akane asked him while pointing at the place Ranma was leaning closer and closer toward.

"Ranma!" They heard a booming voice echo throughout the woods causing Akane to jump in surprise. Ranma only rolled his eyes and stood up. He turned around to see his dad pushing tree branches out of his way to get to the open area where all of the springs were.

"What are you doing here old man?" Ranma asked Genma in a slightly angry tone of voice.

_Why does he seem so mad that his dad is here? _Akane thought as she tried to hide her relief from the sight of the prince. It wasn't very hard to do seeing as the boy was starring daggers at the bald headed man walking up to the two.

"Don't be stupid boy! A servant saw the two of you heading in here and ran to the library and told me and Soun. What are you doing out here?!" Genma yelled as he stood in front of Ranma with the front of Ranma's shirt in his fist.

Akane watched as Ranma merely sighed, swung his leg back behind him, and, with great force, kicked Genma in the stomach.

Letting out a gust of breath, Genma flew fast through the air, hitting a thick tree trunk with a loud thud. Akane thought that he looked like he was hugging the tree with his arms and legs sprawled out around it.

_This can't end well…_

Only seconds later, cruel gravity took its effect and Genma started to fall backwards with his arms and legs still out in the air. Akane and Ranma watched as he splashed into a spring that was right in front of the tree Genma made friends with.

Next to her, Akane could hear Ranma laughing at the misfortune of his father. "That's what you get, you old creeper!"

Akane couldn't help but crack a smile as she looked back at the spring. Though it did not last long as she saw bubbles coming out of the spring that she realized King Genma still had not come out of. The bubbles made it to where neither prince nor princess could see Genma clearly, only the vague shape of his body.

"Ranma, he's still down there!" Akane said to the now worried prince.

The shadow like image in the water grew bigger and bigger as Genma came closer to the surface. Relief instantly filled Akane, and with a look next to her, she noticed Ranma was too.

"I think that's enough adventure for one night for me," Akane said with a sigh.

"Nothing really- DAD?!"

Shivers went down Akane's spine as she turned her head toward the spring. Her scream echoed throughout the forest as a large shadow stalked toward the young royals.

**½**

Not knowing what else to do, Ranma jumped in front of Akane with his arm stretched out in front of her to shield her from the thing that had emerged from the water his dad was still drowning in.

"Get back!"

Stepping out of the shadow from the tree was an enormous panda standing on two legs. Its eyes were wide in surprise and it was rapidly lifting one paw to the other in front of his face.

Akane let out another scream as she took a step back from the panicking panda.

"Where's your dad, Ranma?!" Akane said in a high pitched voice.

"I'm a little more worried about the giant panda at the moment, Akane!"

_Ok, think Ranma, what are you going to do now?!_

Ranma positioned himself in a fighting stance as the frightened looking panda started coming closer babbling something he couldn't understand.

"You shouldn't be here!"

Running towards them under the hanging sign was a man waving his arms in the air hysterically. Ranma looked to the man, momentarily forgetting about the giant black and white bear running loose.

_What is it now?!_

"Ranma!" he heard Akane yell out behind him. Sudden fear shot through him as he looked behind him to see Akane near the edge of the spring with the same panicking panda taking steps toward her causing Akane to take steps back.

She stepped on a smooth rock that lined the edge of the spring that she was nearing and slipped, beginning to fall backwards.

"Akane!"

Ranma ran faster then he could ever remember running toward the falling princess. Bending his legs and pushing with all his strength, he jumped over to Akane and, before she could fall in, picked her up bridal style and moved her away from the spring.

Landing on firm ground, Ranma and Akane both looked at each other with blushes on their faces and wide eyes. Neither said a word, too caught up in brown and blue eyes to see the man who was running so frantically come up behind the giant panda and knock him out with a frying pan that mysteriously formed out of no where.

"You peoples shouldn't be here!" the man shouted from across the spring. Akane looked over to the man with a surprised expression. Disappointment filled Ranma as he looked over too, seeing the man start to prod the panda with a stick. Not distracted anymore, Ranma could see that the man wore a hat, probably covering up a head just as bald as his dad's.

_Dad!_

"My dad fell in that spring over there! We have to get him out. The tool probably drowned by now!"

"Ranma," Akane whispered to the frantic Ranma, "you're still holding me." Ranma was surprised to find that he was as he looked at the blushing face of his fiancé who wouldn't look him in the eye anymore.

"Uh right," Ranma said in a shy voice. He let of her, causing Akane to fall to the ground at his feet.

"Hey!"

The man, seeing that something was going to start that would take too much time, yelled before Ranma could speak, "You all should come with me. Sir, can you help me carry panda?"

"You want to bring that thing with us?!" Akane shouted.

"I never knew that tomboys got scared as many times as you do Akane," Ranma said casually. He stuck his tongue out at her as he started walking toward the man pulling on the panda's arm.

Akane glared at the pigtailed boy as he turned around and started walking toward the very thing that just cornered her.

Not even getting a warning from the enraged princess, Ranma felt a pain in the back of the head as Akane's shoe flew through the air and hit him. Caught off guard, Ranma began to stumble forward toward the spring. He stumbled to the edge and stood on the tips of his toes while trying to lean backwards by waving his arms in the air in circles.

**½**

Akane watched as Ranma got both feet firmly on the ground.

_Darn…_

Ranma walked around the spring. When he got across, and the spring was the only thing between him and Akane, he turned around and smiled at Akane, holding the shoe Akane didn't even know he had, in the air.

"Nice try Akane," Ranma said taking a step nearer to the spring to rub it in her face better.

"Not good idea sir!" the man shouted in a strained voice as he trying to pull the panda by the same arm.

"You're going to have to try better than-"

Akane still sat, trying not to laugh as she watched Ranma slip on the same rock she did and fall into the spring with a splash.

Just like the one Genma fell into, the spring started to bubble like boiling water.

"Oh, this not good!" the man cried to the sky, letting go of the panda's arm in shock.

_What is with this guy? _Akane thought as she stared at the man with a questioning look.

Akane heard a gasp from the spring and the sound of water splashing. Expecting to see Ranma in the water, Akane turned to start schooling the young prince. But instead of the black haired boy who fell in, there was a red haired girl standing in the spring with the same clothes Ranma had on when he fell in. Scared that something happened to Ranma, Akane quickly leaned down and took off her other shoe.

"Where's Ranma?!"

The girl looked at her like she was crazy. "What are you talking about?"

"Where's Ranma?!"

"I am Ranma, you dummy!"

Using all her strength, Akane threw the shoe, hitting the girl in the head.

"Why must you always throw things at me?!" came a high pitched reply from the girl.

"Ranma?" Akane asked in an almost quiet voice.

"Who else would it be? The giant panda?" Ranma said with a roll of her eyes.

_No way!_

Akane's jaw dropped in shock.

_He… doesn't even realize that he is not a he! Wait, what?_

"Do you feel okay… Ranma?" Akane asked with a hesitant voice of calling the girl Ranma. She slowly started taking steps to the spring Ranma was somehow standing in, looking down at the ground every step or so for rocks.

"Of course I do. Just a little wet. Man, this shirt absorbs a lot more water then I thought it did. The front feels really heavy." Ranma told her while ringing out the water from his hair.

_That jerk. How is he bigger than me? _Akane thought with annoyance as she looked down at Ranma's newly required chest.

"I should explain!" the still unknown man shouted.

"Explain what? The panda? It's about time! And what happened to my dad?" Ranma asked, looking around for his father.

_He hasn't even noticed the change of his voice?_

"Um, Ranma," Akane said in a slow, cautious voice, "look down at your reflection."

"Why?" he asked in confusion.

"Just look!" the young princess cried desperately.

With a raised eyebrow, Ranma looked down at the water surrounding him. Where his reflection should be staring back at him was the wavy image of a red haired girl's in the same style that Ranma had his in. At the exact same time that Ranma widened his eyes in surprise, so did the pretty red head's.

"Am I delusional or something?!" Ranma cried in horror.

"Either we both are or this is the real deal," Akane said under her breath.

Ranma ran her hands over her face, feeling for any changes. Akane could tell that Ranma was freaking out inside his head.

"Ranma, calm down," Akane said in what she hoped was a soothing voice, when inside her own head, she was freaking out as much as Ranma was.

_What the heck is going on here?!_

"How can I calm down?! I'm a- a-"

"Girl," the man said from behind with nod of his head.

Ranma's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fainted onto the grassy ground surrounding the spring.

"Oh, this not good. Not good!" cried the man.

"Who are you?" Akane finally asked as she gazed at the man in question.

The man just sighed and once again started pulling on the panda's arm. "I look over Jusenkyo Springs and keep its history. Man fell in spring of drowned girl. This man," he wheezed out, trying to drag the panda across the ground, "fall in spring of drowned panda."

"You mean that's Ranma's dad?!" Akane screamed in surprise. She looked over to where the unconscious panda still lay; not moving an inch though the man was pulling with all his strength.

With a sigh, Akane walked over to the red headed prince and lifted Ranma on her back. "Now what do we do?"

**½**

Ranma's head hurt. A dull ache in the back of his head throbbed as he turned the other way. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter as if to block out the pain. Finally deciding that he should wake up, he opened his eyes to stare up at a wood ceiling.

_Where am I?!_

Ranma quickly sat up straight, only to lay down again with a groan because of his head throbbing in pain. Slowly, Ranma got up and, leaning back on his elbows, looked around the small bedroom type room he saw he was in. A woven rug covered a stone floor and the window on the wall next to the bed showed a cloudy sky. A glowing light from underneath the door flickered every once in a while as he felt the scratchy blanket underneath him.

_Maybe it was just a dream and I was just kidnapped! Thank you universe!_

Looking down with a smile he saw his regular body. Lifting a hand in front of his face, he curled his fingers in and out of his fist.

"Alright!" he yelled with a victory fist in the air.

"Ranma?" he heard a voice ask from behind the door.

"Akane?"

The door creaked open as Akane peeked her head through the opening. The soft glow of the candle's flame outlined Akane's figure as she stood with her hand on the doorknob, looking at the young prince with a smile.

"Good morning sunshine. Had a nice nap?" Akane asked with a some what mocking tone.

Distracted by her smile, it took a minute or two before Ranma could reply back, "Uh, ya, I guess. What happened? All I can remember is this really crazy dream. And while you're at it, where are we?"

"Wow Ranma. Take a breath." Akane said, walking into the room and standing near the bed he was still lying on. Holding out a hand, she helped Ranma off the bed. "All questions can be answered out in the kichen."

They walked out of the room side by side into a room that was larger and brighter then the room Ranma was just in. Near the back next to an old looking stove, sitting in a wooden chair, was the man from Ranma's "dream". The prince stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the man in horror.

"What are you doing here?!" he shouted while pointing a shaking index finger at the man sipping tea at the table.

"This my house," the man said taking another sip of his tea.

"So- so- all of it was real?! It's not just a dream?!"

Akane placed her hand on his shoulder in a reassuring way. "Just hear what he has to say. You're back to being a boy aren't you?"

With that said, Ranma relaxed and, with Akane, walked over to the table and sat down across the man in the uniform. He noticed that the man had an accent and that he seemed very calm about all of this.

"So, explain," Ranma demanded in an authoritative tone of voice.

With a sigh, the man leaned forward on his elbows on the table as if he was about to whisper a secret.

"You turn into girl."

Ranma sat there looking at the man with a blank stare, waiting for him to tell them more. All he got was a deafening silence as the man leaned back again and took another sip of tea.

_Is that all he knows?_

"Well, I got that part genius. The question I'm asking is if you know WHY I turned into a girl," Ranma said. He tried using hand motions that would better get his point across, even though the man had closed his eyes as he downed the last of his tea.

"Spring you fall into is spring of drowned girl. Long long time ago, girl drown in spring. It then became a cursed spring that make anyone who fall into spring turn into girl that drowned with cold water," the man said with his index finger pointed up in the air.

Ranma was astonished. Not only was that really wrong, but it was also horribly confusing.

"Your dad fell into the spring of drowned panda. That panda that was chasing after us was really your dad," Akane said, looking from Ranma to the man sitting across from them for approval.

"Long long time ago panda drown in spring. Now-"

"Yeah I think I got it, thanks," Ranma said in an annoyed voice. "So you're saying that I will turn into a girl and that my dad will turn into a… panda?"

"Yes. With cold water," the uniformed man said with another nod of his head.

"What does cold water have to do with anything?" Ranma asked in a skeptical voice and a raised eyebrow.

"Cold water turn you into girl. Hot turn you back to boy," he said, motioning to Akane who got a glass of water without Ranma noticing.

Ranma watched Akane's face gain a smug smile as she poured the water right over his head.

Wiping his eyes with fists, Ranma yelled out, "What was that supposed to show me?!"

The man grabbed a hand mirror from the table top and held it out in front of Ranma's face for him to see the newly required red hair and other girl features.

"Oh," was the only thing Ranma could think to say as he started inspect his reflection.

"If you please Miss," the man said looking at Akane. Akane took the tea pot sitting near them on the table and poured the steaming water on Ranma's head once again. The man held the mirror up again for Ranma to see his face changed back to normal.

"We should go Ranma," Akane said in a distracted voice as she looked out one of the many windows at a quickly darkening sky. "Dad and everyone will start to worry."

"If you have any more questions, come back. I'll be here," the man said with a smile and small wave.

Looking at the man with a questioning gaze, Ranma replied, "Uh, yeah. Will do. So, where is my dad?"

"He's in the other room sleeping. I'll show you," Akane said moving toward a door across the room. "Thank you for everything!" Akane said to the man as she walked backwards to give him a smile.

Ranma picked up his dad and followed Akane to the front door to go back to the castle.

_At least they changed him back too._

They began walking through the forest, passing the many trees they had passed only hours ago. The silence they walked in was broken with a loud crack of thunder and the sound of rain hitting the ground.

"Oh come on!" the red headed prince shouted out from underneath a sleeping panda.

**½**

I'm a jerk and a half. I haven't updated in forever. But this is longer than all of the other chapters so hopefully that makes up for it a little bit!

Again, thank you all of those who reviewed. And, please, leave a review. I really want to know what you all think of this chapter. I don't care if it's just to say that you wish I would save the world of having to read my writing.

Thank you for reading!


	11. Poem Practice

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Hello all! Summer is finally here and it's back to sleeping in and living in front of the computer. Yay! Anyway, I should be updating sooner now that there is no school to bother with. My stupid school didn't let out till June 17th. So, now I get to make up for lost time!

Thank you again to everyone who reviewed and put this on their alert list! I'm really glad so many of you like this story! It means a lot everyone!

**Disclaimer: **It's on the Christmas list…

**Chapter 11: Poem Practice**

"Where have you been?!" Kasumi asked Akane in her angry voice, which let's face it, was still a gentle and sweet tone. "You were supposed to come to the tailors so we can fit you for your ball gown."

Akane was leaning against the door that leads to the garden, trying to act like nothing was wrong. "Um, well, it's a funny story actually," Akane said with a nervous laugh. "We kind of have a little problem outside."

Instantly Kasumi's scolding was forgotten and worry showed on her face. "What's wrong?"

_Oh boy. Here we go._

With a sigh, Akane opened the door and started to walk outside. With the only light coming from the setting sun, they started stumbling down the path that led to the Jusenkyo Forest, all the while trying to shield themselves from the rain with their arms.

"Akane, what's the problem?" Kasumi yelled over the pounding of the rain.

"Uh, well, you see, Ranma asked me to go to the garden with him earlier today."

"That's wonderful Akane!" Kasumi gushed. "You two are finally getting along!"

"Get along with that jerk! Please," Akane scoffed. "All he did was fight with me the whole time!"

"Oh, well then, what happened?" Kasumi said with an understanding smile.

"We started walking in through the garden when Ranma suggested that we go into the Jusenkyo Forest and-"

"Akane you didn't!" Kasumi gasped in horror.

"He egged me on!" Akane said with a blush. She knew that going in there was forbidden and that Kasumi must be disappointed at her going in. "Anyway, we went in and started walking and, well…." Akane stopped walking and turned around to face her oldest sister.

"Well?" Kasumi asked in a patient voice.

"Well, this happened." Akane held her hand out, directing Kasumi's attention to her left. Through the rain, Kasumi saw a red headed girl sitting on the large stomach of snoring panda, both drenched from sitting outside.

"Oh my!"

"Hi Princess," the girl said with a small wave and a lopsided smile.

Kasumi was in shock. She looked at the girl with the same outfit Prince Ranma had on that morning at breakfast with wide eyes. The girl could only look at the ground while tugging on her braid.

"Prince Ranma?" Kasumi asked in a curious voice.

"Uh yeah, it is," Ranma said as she started scratching the back of her head nervously. She looked through the still pouring rain to Akane who looked on at the exchange between them with pity in her eyes.

The only sound that ruined the awkward silence was the sound of the panda's snoring and the rain hitting the ground. Kasumi looked down at the giant panda Ranma was still sitting on and took a step back.

Akane walked over and placed a supporting hand on her sister's shoulder. "Kasumi, you know King Genma." Not knowing what else to do, Ranma started petting the man as she smiled widely at the two princesses.

For what seemed like hours, Kasumi just stared at the girl and her panda cushion. "How about you explain everything inside? You all should get dried off," she said with her same caring nature. "And we should probably get father and Queen Nodoka while we're at it."

"Oh yeah, they're just going to love this," Ranma said with a sigh.

**½**

"At least she took it better then I thought she would," Akane suggested to Ranma as they sat across from each other around the table, waiting for everyone to come.

"Oh sure, your sister only thinks I'm the biggest freak that ever lived," Ranma said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"Don't worry Ranma," Akane said with a sweet smile, "pretty soon everyone will think so too!"

"Wow. As funny as you are, really, you're not helping at the moment," Ranma said in a distracted tone.

Akane looked at the now boy Ranma with a sad smile. "In all honesty Ranma, I'm sure everything will turn out okay. I mean, so you have a curse now, big deal. It's not the end of the world."

Ranma's eyes widened at her kind words. "So, you don't mind that I turn into a girl?"

Akane's cheeks turned pink as she looked away and down at the table top. "It was weird at first yeah, but now, I'm sure it's something I can get used to," she said with a smile at the end.

Now it was Ranma's turn to have a blush and avoid eye contact.

"Besides, just because change into a girl doesn't mean you're still not a jerk when you open that big mouth of yours."

"Me the jerk?!" Ranma said with his blush now gone. "I'm the one who saved you wasn't I?!"

"But I'm already a girl you creep," Akane said with a smug smile on her face.

_What an ungrateful tomboy!_

"Anyway," she said with a now serious face, "I don't need you saving me. I can take care of myself just fine." The blank stare she was giving him gave Ranma chills up his spine.

Not one to lose a challenge, Ranma replied, "I'm sure you can Tomboy."

As they stuck their tongues out at each other, everyone chose that moment to come through the door.

"Can't you two ever get along?" Nabiki asked as she walked toward a chair by her sister.

"What's going on Ranma?" Ukyou asked as she stuck her head through the doorway.

"Ukyou!" Ranma said with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mom called me from the kitchens saying that there is news I should probably know about," she said while taking a seat next to Ranma.

"Oh great," Ranma said with a sigh.

"Problem?" Ukyou said with a worried expression.

"Very."

"Hey Prince Ranma, who's your friend?" Nabiki asked with a mischievous smile while pointing at Ukyou.

"Oh," Ranma said with a caught off guard looking face. "Um, this is Ukyou, my best friend. Ukyou," he said looking at her, "this is Princess Nabiki and Princess-"

"Akane I assume," Ukyou said with a strain smile and a small glare.

"Nice to meet Ranma's best friend," Akane said with a smile and glare of her own. Silence fell over the teenagers as Akane and Ukyou stared daggers at each other, never once losing their smile.

Ranma picked up a butter knife sitting next to him and started cutting the air in front of him.

"What are you doing?" Akane asked in an annoyed voice.

"Cutting the tension," he replied in a care free voice.

All the girls, including Nabiki, stared at Ranma with blank faces. Ranma glanced at their faces and slowly set the knife down and looked at the door with a sweat drop going down the side of his head.

_Geez. Tough crowd. I was sure at least Ukyou would laugh at that. Wonder what's bothering her…._

Without the helpful use of Ranma cutting the tension, the silence became even more deafening. Thankfully though, it wasn't long till everyone else joined them and they were all sitting at the table, waiting for the important news.

"Now that everyone is here, I think that it's important to say, no got hurt," Kasumi told them with a gentle smile on her face.

"Oh that's reassuring," Nabiki mumbled.

**½**

Everyone besides Akane and Kasumi stared in shock at the dripping wet red head and panda standing next to the table.

Akane went on to explain to everyone how the curse worked and how it happened. No one spoke while she talked. They only looked at the two standing in the spotlight with wide eyes. Akane finished with a sigh and poured hot water and maid had brought onto the king and prince.

"Well, nothing we can do about it now," Kasumi said in a surprisingly cheery voice as the three sat down in their chairs. "How about we have dinner now?"

King Soun had tears running down his cheek and started mumbling something about his daughter having to marry a girl. King Genma sat on his chair with his eyes closed, seeming to be thinking about something serious, while the queen and Ukyou sat staring at their plates, not saying a word.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Nabiki said with an evil smile as she looked at the annoyed looking boy.

_Sick?_

"Yeah well-"

_Sick!_

"Oh my gosh! I forget!" Akane said before Ranma could finish his sentence. "Ryoga is still at Doctor Tofu's!" she said starting to get out of her chair and running out of the room.

"Wait Akane!" Ranma said getting up as well.

"Ranma! Where are you going?" Akane heard Ukyou's distant voice ask Ranma as she ran down the hall towards Doctor Tofu's. She didn't wait to hear Ranma's response as she slowed her pace to a walk.

_I can't believe I forgot!_

"Why are you going to see him now?" Ranma asked in an almost disgusted.

"Because I want to see how he's doing," Akane said with her face facing forward.

"Oh please, I bet you just want to see him again," Ranma told her, a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Why do you care?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I-I don't!" Ranma said with a stutter and a blush. "You know, you didn't deny wanting to go see him."

_He's jealous!_

"Maybe I do! Why should it matter to you whether I want to see him or not?" Akane stopped walking and turned towards the prince, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Because… because… I don't!" Ranma said with his blush growing even more on his face. A sly smile graced his handsome face as he looked at the princess with interest. "Oh I see now. You're jealous!"

"What?!" Akane screamed, taken back from the reverse thought.

"Yeah, you're jealous of Ukyou. I don't see why, but that little evil glare contest back there makes sense now," he said in a thoughtful kind of voice.

"What 'evil glare contest'?" Akane asked in a good example of what she asked. "I am not jealous of Ukyou. If anything, you're jealous of Ryoga!" she said pointing at Ranma accusingly.

"Me, jealous of him? Ha! Go ahead and see your little Ryoga. I don't care."

"And you go eat dinner with Ukyou."

"Fine."

"Fine.'

While fighting, the two royals had gotten closer together, each with a stubborn look on their face. Each had veins throbbing on the side of their head. With a scoff, they each turned in the opposite direction and started stomping down the hall, Akane to Doctor Tofu's and Ranma back to the dining room.

_That jerk!_ _Why won't this day end yet?!_

Akane slowed her pace as the door to her destination came in sight.

_Why are the hallways so long?_

When she knocked on the door she didn't have to wait long for Doctor Tofu to open it with a smile on his face.

"Hello Princess!"

"Hi Doctor Tofu!" Akane said with a smile of her own. "I came to see how Ryoga was doing."

"Ah yes. Ryoga," Tofu said as he opened the door for her to come in. Akane walked through and saw the before mentioned boy sitting up in bed eating soup.

"You're looking better today," she said as her face softened and she smiled kindly. Ryoga's jaw dropped in shock and his face reddened.

"So, are you feeling better?" Akane finally asked when he didn't say anything.

"Yes I am. Thank you for bringing me here. Doctor Tofu is very nice," he said looking down at the sheets with a blush.

Akane smiled and stayed for a little longer having an awkward conversation with the sick boy. Soon she left and went to sleep still thinking about her and Ranma's fight. With that, the freaking long day finally ended.

**½**

"It is Wednesday my young royals," Ms. Hinako said placing paper on each desk, "which means that we will learn literature. Before I start the official lesson, I want to you both to write a poem about how you both feel about each other. You will have a few minutes to write something on the paper that I gave you. You may start."

_Write about what we feel about each other? She wants us to write about feelings when I doubt the vampire even has any. Isn't that what they call irony? Ha! Maybe I do know something!_

Saying Ranma was surprised about the assignment she gave them was an understatement. But nonetheless, he started thinking of how he felt about the girl currently sitting next to him. They hadn't talked at all that morning during breakfast or on the walk to the classroom.

Ranma decided. He wasn't feeling happy about her at that moment.

Picking up his pencil, Ranma looked at the paper deep in thought. Beside him Akane was doing the same thing. Ranma looked at her with narrowed eyes, watching as she glared at the paper while she chewed on her pencil.

"Almost times up," Ms. Hinako said from where she was sitting next to the chalkboard they once again wheeled in.

Like a light bulb went off, Ranma started writing down the words that came into his head. Beside him, Akane leaned over her own paper with a smirk and started to write.

Standing up from her chair, Ms. Hinako walked over to the desks and stood in front of them. "Alright, now I want you to read them to each other. Then we will start today's lesson on the proper way to write. Prince Ranma, how about you go first?"

Ranma smiled and cleared his throat in a joking manor. "Akane. My love for you is like a rose. Always dead and never grows."

Ranma saw a vein throb on the side of Akane's head before she stuck out her tongue at him making him smile smugly at her. Ms. Hinako only mumbled to herself "Well, at least it rhymed." With a sigh she turned to Akane and told her to read hers.

"At first I thought you were stupid and that your brain cells were still new, but now I decided. I just hate you."

With that Ms. Hinako quickly started the lesson on nouns and verbs and what have you. Neither Ranma nor Akane paid attention; each crossing their arms across their chest and staring stubbornly in the opposite direction then where the other was sitting.

With neither one listening, class flew by faster then usual. When Ms. Hinako dismissed them to leave, both walked out of the room in an angry silence. Without saying a word to Ranma, Akane turned to the right and left Ranma to walk straight ahead down the hallway.

_I don't want to hang out with her anyway. _

Not knowing what else to do, Ranma walked along looking at the paintings hanging on the wall. He stopped when he saw a picture of a woman reading next to a window over looking the garden he's been to so many times. He walked up closer and looked at the woman with the kind face and familiar eyes.

_Who does that remind me of?_

"Coward!" Ranma heard a man yell from down the hall. He turned his head toward the direction the voice came from and saw a man with brown hair pointing a kendo sword at him. Ranma looked at the maids passing through the halls like this was a normal occurrence.

"You're talking to me?"

"You dare not show up to a challenge for the lovely Princess Akane's hand?!" the still unknown man yelled.

"Ah, you must be Kuno," Ranma said with a smile.

"So my sweet Princess has told you of me and of our love! When she hears of my defeating you she will then be able to run into my arms and rejoice of my getting rid of you and your foul engagement."

"First of all, who said anything about defeating me? Second, you never issued any challenge so don't call me a coward."

"Liar as well as a coward!" Kuno yelled.

"Will you let me finish? Third of all, Akane is my fiancé! So trust me when I say that she's not going to be running into your arms any time soon!"

"You are a foul beast Prince Ranma Soatome, denying the love my Princess has for me!"

"Are you on drugs?"

Kuno raised the kendo sword over his head as he started running at Ranma with a battle cry. Ranma merely sigh and waited for the moment Kuno came within reach.

"Prepare to be defeated Prince Ranma!" Kuno cried as he swung down his kendo sword right above Ranma's head. Ranma stepped to the side, dodging Kuno's attack. Kuno stumbled forward, only to get kicked in the stomach by a bored looking Ranma.

Kuno flew back down the hall and slammed into a wall. He's impact made an outline of him on the wall, but thanks to gravity, he fell forward and smacked into the hard stone floor. Besides a twitch of his fingers every now and then, Kuno didn't move or wake up.

_Now what?_

He started lazily walking down the hallway, stepping over the unconscious Kuno, thoughts drifting from one thing to another. He didn't know what to do in the castle without Akane as much as I don't know how to end this chapter.

"Where did she go to anyway?" he asked himself as he entered a room he never been in yet. He looked around the room that had a big space, a pile of cinder blocks, and other random things. Instantly he recognized it as a training room.

"Yes!"

He smiled and starting on his exercises. Out of the corner of his eye, Ranma saw a servant walk in carrying a bucket of water and some cloths getting ready to scrub down a figure that stood off to the side of the room. He thought nothing of it as he kept doing his work out. With the luck only Ranma has, the servant tripped over his own two feet and the bucket of water flew through the air and fell on the prince's head.

"No!" the high pitched voice screamed out as she took the bucket off her head and stared at her newly required body with astonishment.

_Can nothing go right for me?! EVER?!_

**½**

Well, it's not the best but it's out right? I just couldn't seem to get it right sometimes when writing. Oh well. You all will have to learn to deal. And heads up, I do have some good stuff planned in the next chapters. I hope….

So like with every chapter, please review. Opinions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks for reading!


	12. Akane's New Do

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

So I wasn't being e-mailed anything from for a while. I was so sad! Life wasn't the same. Days would go by without update alerts and I would just be in the corner crying. I have a very little life you see.

Anyway, thank you once more to all of those who reviewed and put this on their alert lists. Means a lot! It's like Christmas when I open up my e-mail and see that I have reviews. So, yay for Christmas... or any other holiday that you may celebrate! Gotta love them candles ;)

**Disclaimer: **If only life were so kind…

**Chapter 12: Akane's New Do**

"You look gorgeous Akane!" Kasumi gushed as she looked at her sister with a wide smile. "You are going to be the most beautiful girl at your engagement ball!"

Akane looked down at the light pink dress that the tailor was doing some last minute detailing to. She blushed as she ran her hands down the long satin fabric that fell down to her feet.

"You really think so?" she said with a smile.

"No touching!" the tailor scolded her as he slapped her hand.

Rubbing her hand, Akane pouted at the man pinning the hem of her dress at a place that needed to be redone. Kasumi smiled and looked at her sister and gave her a warm smile.

"Of course I think so. If only mother could see how beautiful you look right now…"

Akane gave her a small, sad grin as she lifted her eyes to look in the mirror on the wall in front of her. She imagined her hair being done up fancy and having make up being put on her for the special occasion. Despite the reason for the ball, Akane was excited for it.

"You're done. Get out of my dress before I have to start all over," the tailor said, dismissing her with a flick of his hand.

_What a creepy man…_

With a sigh, Akane stepped off the stool and went to get changed out of the ball gown. Nerves were eating at her ever since earlier when she had to put the dress on for the final fitting. It was just the engagement ball, but it all seemed so final to her. Not to mention she was wondering what Ranma was feeling about it.

_Probably dreading everyone knowing that we're engaged._

After handing the dress to a servant waiting outside of the changing area, Akane walked to where Kasumi was standing talking with the tailor with her ever present smile on her face.

"What are you wearing to the ball Kasumi?" Akane asked as the tailor bowed and walked to the servant who held Akane's dress.

"Oh Nabiki and I are just going to wear a gown we already have. There's really no need for us to have new gowns when it's your and Ranma's ball."

"But then I just feel bad! Just because it's an engagement ball for me and the jerk of a prince doesn't mean that you and Nabiki shouldn't get a new dress too," Akane said looking at her sister with a concerned face.

"Really Akane, it's fine! And please don't call Prince Ranma a jerk. Try to be a little kinder to him," Kasumi said before she was called away by a maid.

_Me, be kinder to him? Ha! I'd rather gag myself with a rusty spoon! He's much meaner to me then I am to him!_

With hands clenched in fists at her sides and a scowl on her lips, Akane walked out of the room and into the hall, thinking of all the nasty things Ranma has done to her since he's been here.

The servants and maids knew the drill. They dodged out of the way of the fuming princess and walked back into the rooms they were about to walk out of.

So caught up in her thoughts, Akane didn't give much notice to the unconscious Kuno she stepped on to get down the hall. Nor did she hear the grunt of pain he gave as her shoes dug into his back.

_Uh! He's such a pain! _

"No!"

"What the?" Akane though out loud as she walked past the training room. She peered into the room and saw a soaking wet Ranma as a girl standing in the middle of the empty space.

"I'm so sorry Miss! Let me go get you a towel!" she heard a servant apologize in a panicky voice before running out of the room, not even noticing his princess standing there. Akane held in a laugh as she waked over to where the prince was standing.

"He called me Miss," Ranma said with an astonished face. "I just got called Miss!"

Akane couldn't hold it in anymore. She had to hold onto her stomach she was laughing so hard.

"I'm glad you find this so funny," Ranma said sarcastically.

"Oh come on," Akane said in between giggles. "At least he didn't see that you were a boy before the water hit you."

"I guess so. You can stop laughing any time you know," she said as the servant came back and handed her the towel. He bowed to Akane before picking up his bucket and leaving the two to get more water.

"I know," Akane said with a small laugh. Ranma glared and Akane stuck out her tongue. It seemed everything went back to normal between them.

"Come on," Akane said leading her out of the training room, "let's go to the garden. A little fresh air might do your sense of humor some good."

"You and that garden," Ranma mumbled as he dried his hair with the towel.

"Oh don't act like you don't like going there," Akane scolded him playfully.

"Only with the right company."

"But I'm the only person you've been out there with," she told him with her head tilted to the side in confusion.

"Exactly," Ranma said with a full blush on his face.

Akane looked at him with surprise on her face before she gave him a huge smile.

_Maybe not so much of a pain after all…_

**½**

_We always end up here. _Ranma thought as he looked at Akane with a smile playing at his lips. He took in her smile as she looked at a flower bed full of different colors. She looked up and turned her gaze to him, but Ranma turned her head to look at the flowers with a slight blush.

"What?" Akane asked.

"What? I was just looking at the flowers. I think you're being paranoid Princess."

"Girls and your flowers," Akane said in a casual voice as she started walking further down the path.

"I'm a boy!" his high voice echoed through the garden.

"Yes. But at the moment? No," Akane said with a fake cheesy smile.

"You're so not cute," was Ranma's only reply as he followed Akane deeper into the garden. Akane returned it by punching the top of the prince's head.

A silence fell over the two as they walked. A silence that was not entirely comfortable, yet not entirely awkward. Neither one knew what to talk about.

"Akane!" they heard someone yell from behind a tall bush hiding them from view. Both prince and princess gave a mental sigh of relief at the new distraction. At least till Ranma saw who was running up to them.

"Ryoga!" Akane called with a smile as the boy came and stood in front of the two. "What brings you out in the gardens?"

"Doctor Tofu said that a little fresh air will do me some good after being sick and all. Who's this?" Ryoga asked with a friendly smile. Ranma scowled and glared at the boy Akane was supposedly in such a hurry to meet with yesterday.

"Oh, uh, this is…" Akane trailed off as looked at Ranma with a panic in her eyes.

"Ranma," Ranma almost growled at Ryoga.

"Ranma? Are you the one that helped me to Doctor Tofu's with Akane?"

"No, that was Akane's fiancé. A different Ranma," the red headed girl told him with a smug smile.

Akane looked at her with astonishment of her face as Ryoga looked crest fallen.

"Fiancé? I didn't know you were getting married," Ryoga said to Akane, trying to cover up the disappointment in his voice with confusion.

"It was arranged by our parents. The engagement ball is tomorrow night," Ranma heard her say. "You should come! It will be fun!"

_Oh no. The ball! I forgot. Akane is probably dreading having to be announced being engaged with me._

"Right Ranma?" he heard Akane ask him. He turned his head back to the direction of where the two were standing. He didn't even realize he was looking at the flowers in such deep thought. He saw Akane's expecting face holding a smile and Ryoga's blank expression staring back at him.

Ranma looked at the lost boy square in the eyes and smirked. "Right."

Ryoga looked at the red headed girl with distain. Ranma could see the jealousy in his eyes.

"Ranma and I were just walking though the garden. Want to join us?" Akane asked in an innocent voice. Ranma watched in disgust as Ryoga blushed and nodded his head in a yes to the princess's offer.

Together the three once again started walking down the path of the garden that was quickly becoming memorized by the red headed prince. Around them the air was heavy with silence. Ranma stood protectively by Akane's side while on her other side Ryoga was looking ahead, trying to figure out why this Ranma made him feel as jealous as he imagined Akane's fiancé would.

"So…." Akane started to say in an awkward tone of voice. "How did you end up here Ryoga?"

The boy in question turned his head and looked at the smiling princess waiting for an answer. "Oh, well, I kind of have this horrible sense of direction. I get lost all the time. I'm used to showing up in places I don't know. But this time I got a fever from walking in the rain the other day. Thanks again for helping me out that day Akane."

_Suck up…_

"Anyone would have done the same thing," she said glancing at Ranma from the corner of her eye with a smirk.

"I helped too," Ranma murmured.

"What was that Ranma?" Akane said trying not to laugh.

"I said Ranma helped out too didn't he?" Ranma said in a high voice to Ryoga.

"Oh yes," Ryoga said in a disappointed voice, "you'll have to thank him for me too."

Ranma smiled in victory while Ryoga went back to staring ahead thinking the same confusing thoughts as he was before Akane asked him a question. They walked along, flowers surrounding them on each side of the path.

"Look at those!" Akane almost squealed when she pointed to a row of white flowers with purple at their tips. "They're so pretty!" She ran over and leaned over them, smelling them with her eyes closed. "I should take some for Kasumi to see!"

"Let me do that for you Akane!" Ryoga cried as he pulled out a yellow bandana out of no where. Upon closer inspection, Ranma noticed it matched the one that Ryoga wore on his head. Smiling, Ryoga snapped the bandana straight and instantly it took on a sharp edge.

"Let you do what?" Akane asked with a confused smile.

"I'll use this to cut the flowers for you. I don't want you getting your pretty hands dirty or anything," he said with a blush.

"Oh. Then uh, thanks!"

_She's just going to let some guy do this for her?! _

"I'll do it Ryoga," Ranma said in a loud voice.

"No, that's alright. I can do it," Ryoga said with one eyebrow ticking in annoyance.

"I insist! You are still sick after all," Ranma said in an over dramatic voice, trying to act like a girl. She walked over to Ryoga and grabbed the other end of the bandana.

"I said I can do it," Ryoga growled through his teeth. He pulled the bandana closer to him with Ranma's hand still on the other end.

"And I said that I'll do it," Ranma said while he pulled his end closer. They began fighting over the right to cut flowers, arguing why they should do it instead of the other, with each yanking their end of the bandana, trying to get the other person to let go.

"You know guys, I can just pull them up! There's no reason to fight about it!" Akane tried to yell over their arguing.

"Listen Ranma," Ryoga said his name with disgust, "I can handle this! This is a man's job!"

Ranma's temper went through the roof at that stupid remark. "Oh yeah, picking flowers with your hair accessory is a real manly job!"

"Let go!" And with that, Ryoga tugged at the bandana with all his might. Ranma's end slipped out of his hand and the bandana flew out of Ryoga's all together. Yellow flew through the air with a sound of air whipping by.

"Akane watch out!" Ranma called as Akane turned her head to see where the cloth ended up. Just as she twisted around to look behind her, the bandana zipped by her head, cutting the long blue black hair that the princess treasured so much with a single slice.

All eyes were wide with shock and no one made a sound or dared to breathe.

_This… can't be good…_

Slowly, Akane lifted a hand to the uneven butchered hair hanging loosely against her neck. When she slid her fingers through her now short hair, her hand kept going down, used to the extra length that was cut off. She bowed her head, causing her bangs to cover her tear filled eyes.

"A-Akane?" Ranma asked cautiously in a slow stuttering voice. She didn't respond as she let her hand fall to her side. Without looking up, Akane ran down the path of the garden toward the castle, leaving two horrible feeling teenagers in her wake.

Ranma thought about the time Ukyou burnt her hair while she was cooking. She cried for the rest of the day and ever since, she's worn a big white bow in her hair to keep from getting it in the way.

_She must be feeling horrible! _

Far be it from Ranma to feel such girly emotions, but for the minutes he and Ryoga stood in shocked silence, he felt toward the girl and her unsuspecting hair.

"This is all my fault!" Ryoga cried out in anguish.

"Yup," Ranma said shaking his head while watching Ryoga cover his face in his hands.

Ryoga slumped his shoulders and an air of depression danced around his head. After a couple minutes of self pity, he snapped his head up and glared at Ranma. "This is all your fault!" he yelled pointing at the red head with his index finger of doom.

"Whoa buddy. Let's not place the blame on innocent bystanders," he said while holding his hands up in front of him in defense.

"Innocent bystander?! If you hadn't fought with me in the first place then none of this would have happened!"

"Well, if you hadn't come out here acting like some creeper popping out of bushes then I wouldn't have fought with you!"

"I didn't pop out of the bushes!"

"Excuses, excuses. Who even asked you to come with us in the first place?!"

"Akane did!"

Ranma opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when he realized Ryoga was right. "Well, your clothes are ugly," Ranma said under his breath.

"I don't have time for this right now. I have to go apologize to Akane!" Ryoga yelled with stars in his eyes at the thought of being Akane's noble hero. He started running down the path in determination.

Ranma watched as he ran toward the Jusenkyo Forest and away from the castle where Akane had run to with satisfaction.

"Bye-bye crazy," Ranma whispered to himself with a smile. With a sigh, he looked around thinking about how he was going to apologize.

**½**

Akane looked at her reflection for the second time that day. Her brown eyes stared back at her with unshed tears and her fingers combed through her newly acquired haircut.

Flashback

_Akane walked up to her sisters with a fake smile on her face._

"_Wow," Nabiki deadpanned when they turned and saw most of Akane's hair gone._

"_Akane! What happened?" Kasumi said with wide eyes, trying not to show on her face as shock as she felt._

"_I wanted to try something new for the ball, but it kind of got out of control. Do you think you can have someone fix it?" Akane said without losing the smile._

_The two older sisters just looked at each other with blank faces then back at the youngest. _

"_Never a dull moment anymore huh?" Nabiki said with a small grin as all three sisters walked to find a maid with hair cutting skills._

End of Flashback

Akane gave a sad sigh as looked away from the mirror. She closed her eyes and imagined the images she thought of earlier in the day while she was in her ball gown.

_So much for that…_

Suddenly, Akane heard a tapping noise from the wall next to her night stand. Opening her eyes and looking over, she saw Ranma hanging upside down outside her window tapping on the glass with his one hand. Rushing toward the window, she lifted the glass and allowed the now male Ranma to jump into her room.

"How did you…" Akane trailed off her question from shock of the boy doing such a thing.

"I have my ways," Ranma said with a shrug. "How's your head?"

"My head is fine Ranma. It was my hair that got chopped up," Akane scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

She watched with a raised eyebrow as Ranma took a deep breath and looked at her with determination in his eyes. "Listen, Akane. I just wanted to say that I didn't mean for your hair to get cut," he slowly got out as he looked at his suddenly very interesting feet. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm… sorry."

He looked up at her and slowly brought his hand from behind his back with a blush across his cheeks. In his hand was a white flower with purple at its tips. He scratched his burning cheek with his finger as Akane took the flower with a warm smile from his outstretched hand.

With her smile still on her face, Akane stepped closer towards the embarrassed prince. With her hands on his shoulders, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

Though it was just a moment, Akane took in the woodsy smell that seemed to fit the prince so well. The warmth of his skin against her lips was nothing compared to the warmth that she felt in her chest. She was sure that he would be able to hear her heart pounding with loud thumps for those few seconds her lips lingered on his blushing cheek as well as she could hear it beating in her ears.

After what seemed like forever, but was really only a few blissful seconds, Akane leaned back, though not taking her hands off his shoulders, and looked at the boy with a bright smile.

"Thank you Ranma."

Ranma's face was in shock before he smiled at the girl still standing in front of him. Reaching a hand up, he took the flower she was still holding and gently stuck it behind her ear, brushing purposely against her short hair when letting his hand fall back to his side.

"I like it better this way," he said with a smile.

"You like my hair better short?" Akane asked with genuine interest.

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he leant his head close to her ear where the flower was. She felt his lips brush her ear as he whispered, "I didn't mean your hair."

And with that, Ranma smiled sweetly and walked to the door saying goodnight to the blushing princess without turning around. Akane stood frozen where she was, only hearing the goodnight and the door close behind him.

That night, both fell asleep smiling, for once excited about what the next day would bring.

**½**

Ok, even I'm getting all excited about that last part. It seriously came out of no where. But what a wonderful surprise it was! Upcoming chapters will be very interesting now will they not?

Random things you all might want to know: 1) I have to get cracking on my summer reading, so I might not update as soon as I usually do. Darn school. But I'll definitely get one out before I have to go to camp. :P 2) I have a poll in my profile that I made the other day when I was bored. I'm thinking about using the winner in an upcoming chapter so check it out and vote! 3) Reviewing is always helpful. Even to ask questions, it helps me see if I'm writing to where you can understand. So, help a writer out huh?

Thank you all so much for reading!


	13. Shampoo Like You

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! The last chapter I got the most reviews I ever got for a chapter! And thank you to Megan once again! She is officially checking over every chapter before I post them as my unofficial beta. Also, thank you to feagea for the great idea! So, thank you to everyone!

**Twilight Soul- **You don't have private messaging! I couldn't respond and I already responded on your review so there was no way to talk to you. That's why I couldn't get back to you! I feel so bad! I don't exactly know what you mean by keeping it up for a long time, but I guess I will! I honestly never thought of making Akane cursed too and making her into a guy, but it sounds like a really interesting idea. I will buy the club t-shirt! My summer has been VERY boring. But it's better then school I guess. I'm only going off the anime. I've actually never read the manga. Watch people hate me forever now. XD No, but I think I'm going to read it when I have time. ME TOO! Ranma and Akane forever! Shampoo and Ukyou equals no. Too many questions? No way. I love hearing from you. And that whole I don't even crack crackers thing? HILARIOUS. Thanks for the response!

**Disclaimer: **Ask me again tomorrow. I'm not sure right now. -- That was sarcasm. I don't own it. Not now or tomorrow. Way to rub it in.

**Chapter 13: Shampoo Like You**

"Five more minutes," Ranma mumbled from under the covers that he hid under from his mother who came to personally wake up the prince for the important day.

"No more sleep. Breakfast is soon and we still have much to do before the ball tonight!" Nodoka said in a hurried voice as she went through the boy's closet taking out clothes and handing them to a bubbly faced Akari.

"Okay, okay. Ten more minutes then I swear I'll be awake," Ranma said pulling the blanket closer to him.

"Ukyou made your favorite breakfast for you since today is going to be so busy!" the queen said trying to coax her son out of bed.

"Well in that case, just give me fifteen more minutes," she heard him groan out, "then I'll definitely be up."

"Princess Akane is already up and dressed at the table wait-" Nodoka didn't get to even finish her word as Ranma threw off the covers and sat up in bed. The prince blushed as he realized what he did.

He gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head. "Uh, don't want the tomboy to eat all of the food!"

"Ranma! Is that any way to talk about your fiancé?" his mother scolded him before turning her focus back on his clothes. Akari just giggled next to her much to the dismay of Ranma. "Now come get dressed so we can start the day. Much to do!"

**½**

When Akane woke up that morning she sure it had to be a good day. How could it not? The ball should be the perfect ending of the perfect day.

_If only things were that simple with us… _

Everyone was now at the table enjoying a breakfast served only moments before. Sounds of silverware scrapping against plates and conversations filled the room while they ate. The two scheming kings were huddled close together whispering something behind their hands while peeking over to look at their engaged teenagers.

Ranma was at his usual place from across Akane, each looking at the other with a smile and roll of their eyes at their father's antics. The queen and the two elder princesses were discussing the ball tonight with excitement.

"Ranma!" King Genma yelled out making everyone jump in their seats. He started glaring at him through narrow eyes.

"Not again," Ranma mumbled under his breath as he slammed his palm onto his forehead. "What do you want old man?"

"Today is your engagement ball boy!"

Ranma gave him a minute to finish what he was saying but when Genma just kept glaring at him, he gave a sigh and shook his head. "You need help."

"Don't get cocky boy," Genma said while he got up from his chair and kicked Ranma across the room where he landed quite nicely into the wall. "You and the princess here have a lot of responsibilities to fulfill tonight!"

"Why couldn't you have just said that in the first place?!" Ranma yelled at his father while he pulled himself from his imprint on the wall.

"It's time you learned to be respectful!"

"Sure! Right when you learn to finish a conversation!"

"Enough," Queen Nodoka said with a stern voice with her eyes narrowed at the two royals. Both automatically stopped glaring at each other and instead straightened their backs and turned to the queen with some what frightened gazes.

_I have a feeling this happens often for them._

"Father, why don't you explain what kind of responsibilities King Genma was talking about?" Kasumi spoke up from beside Nodoka.

"Akane. Ranma. Much goes into being a king and queen of a kingdom." He cleared his throat and looked at the two with a serious face. "Meeting those from other kingdoms is a must. Being seen as a team to your people is even more important. That's mostly what we are expecting of you tonight at the ball."

At the blank faces he was receiving from the prince and princess he sighed and started to clarify for them even further. "Important people from neighboring kingdoms have been invited to celebrate the engagement of the prince and princess who will unite the kingdoms. We expect you to be at your best behavior when meeting all of them."

"We have to meet all of them?" Akane asked in a shocked voice.

"Not all. Just most."

_Oh great._

"What do you mean we have to be seen as a team?" Ranma asked as he sat down in his vacant chair across from Akane.

An evil smile crawled on the faces of both kings at the question. "The thing your people will need to see the most tonight is that you two will be able to work together for a very, very, VERY long time."

The teens stared at the grinning king with blank stares. "What?" both said at the same moment.

"He means, act like you're in love tonight to show everyone that you're getting along," Kasumi added in gently before he father could confuse the prince and princess even further.

"So basically, lie," Nabiki deadpanned. At that both teens nodded their head in understanding.

"Excuse me your Highnesses," came a voice from the doorway, "but a few guests for tonight's ball have already arrived and are waiting outside the Grand Hall for you."

"Perfect time to practice for tonight!" Soun squealed, not unlike a school girl, and jumped out of his seat in excitement the same time Genma did. The two "grown men" skipped out of the room and down the hall. Passing servants and maids sweat dropped at the sight of the two king's antics.

The royals left behind at the table all look at each other with quizzical looks. No one quite sure what just happened. "I guess the only thing to do now is to follow them," Akane said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Everyone walked to the Grand Hall with curious faces to see who had arrived. It seemed like forever ago to Akane when she met Ranma in the exact same hall.

_And now we're having an engagement ball. _She couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"What are you so happy about?" She heard Ranma ask close to her ear from beside her.

"Nothing," the princess said trying to sound indifferent.

"Girls are so weird," he mumbled loud enough for her to hear.

"Well you would know," she said with a smile to show that she was joking. Ranma glared at her, trying to cover up the smile that played at his lips as they walked through the door to the Grand Hall where King Genma and Soun were already standing, waiting for the early guests.

"Are you all ready?" Soun asked as everyone walked to where they were to stand. Akane stood where she had stood when King Genma crashed through the door, but with Ranma standing next to her. Smoothing her dress down in nervousness, she glanced to her left to see Ranma looking at from the corner of his eye. Immediately a blush crawled on her face, making the face she gave him worthless. He only smirked and turned his gaze to the door they were all waiting for to open.

"Alright! Open the doors!"

**½**

_How cute, _Ranma thought as he watched the youngest princess run her hands down the fine fabric of her dress as a look of nervousness came on her face. Just as he thought that, Akane looked up at him and saw him looking at her.

_Stay cool Ranma! Don't blush… not that I do or anything. Man, denying things in my own head. _

Trying to stay calm and not fidget with his fingers while the girl looked back at him, Ranma forced his eyes to stay on hers for those few seconds. It was then he saw the princess's face flush with a blush. She was obviously trying to cover it up by making a silly face, but wasn't doing a good job at all. Feeling victory, Ranma smirked at the girl his attention was focused on even though he turned his eyes back to the door.

"Alright! Open the doors!" he heard Akane's father say with excite in his voice from behind him where he was standing with Ranma's parents.

He stood up taller as two servants opened the large doors. Standing outside in the sun were two figures. One was about the size of Akane, but the other looked like a small child holding a stick they found out in the yard. Ranma raised an eyebrow at the funny sight as they stepped into the Hall with a certain stuck up air.

"Tribal elder, Cologne and her great grand-daughter, Shampoo," a servant called from beside the man who opened the right door.

"Ah! Lady Cologne! How nice to see you again!" Soun said walking up to the two and bending down to kiss the old woman's wrinkly hand.

_Protocol bites, _Ranma thought with a wince as he watched his father come from behind King Soun and do the act of kissing the back of her hand. As surprised as Ranma was that that midget was the tribal elder, he was even more surprised that his old man actually did something that was a polite thing for a person of high standings to do. _Please don't make me do that!_

"King Soun. Kind Genma," she said with squinted eyes. She gestured to her left with an opened hand. "This is my great grand-daughter Shampoo."

Ranma looked at the girl who looked to be their age with interest. She had long purple hair and stood with her hands behind her back. Her Chinese styled dress was shorter then most and it wasn't hard to see that she was very pretty. She was looking at the two kings with a bored look on her face, obviously not excited to be here.

"This is my youngest daughter Princess Akane," Soun said walking over to her and slinging an arm around her shoulders. "And my older girls, Princess Kasumi and Princess Nabiki," he told them while pointing out each girl. The three princesses all smiled and curtsied to their guests like what was expected of them. Cologne simply nodded her head in acknowledgement while Shampoo did nothing but look at them with half lidded eyes.

"And this here is my boy, Prince Ranma," Genma said with an equally excited tone as Soun's as he slammed his open hand on the top of Ranma's head with his elbow at a 90 degree angle. Ranma bowed low at the waist to the two. Straightening up, he smiled at the two Amazons with a friendly grin.

He missed the look Shampoo gave him when her eyes landed on the prince. Her face lit up and a smile grew on her face. Cologne eyed the boy, seeming to seize him up. "Pleasure to meet you all," she said when she was satisfied by what she saw.

From beside Ranma, Akane's hands were balled into fists. Her face had a stubborn look on it. She didn't miss the excitement that entered Shampoo's eyes when she saw the pig tailed prince.

"Shall we all go to the library?" Queen Nodoka asked with a smile after she was introduced. They all turned to head down the hall towards Soun's private library, Shampoo's gaze on the back of Ranma's head the whole time. With a mischievous smile, the young Amazon walked up next to the prince and stood uncomfortably close.

_What's this crazy girl doing?_

Ranma raised an eyebrow at the Chinese girl next to him, now smiling up at him with closed eyes. Giving her a nervous chuckle, he turned his head around to find his blue black haired princess.

_Mine? Since when am I so possessive? _

He looked behind him and saw Akane walking with Kasumi on one side and Nabiki on the other, giving him a death glare. The other two princesses weren't looking too happy either. Akane's whole stance screamed anger and jealousy was clearly written on her face.

_Hmm maybe I'm not the only possessive one…_

Ranma gave her a small smile as if to say it couldn't be helped when he felt a pair of slender arms hug his arm to a body. His eyes grew wide in surprise before he whipped his head around to the purple haired Amazon hugging his arm.

_What the heck?! Did I not just meet her twenty seconds ago?!_

Ranma sweat dropped as he tried to pry his arm out of her grasp. "Uh, Shampoo? What are you doing?" he got out slowly.

"Shampoo like you," the girl said while tightening her hold on his arm. Ranma's jaw dropped and his eyes widen to an impossible size. He felt an impending doom fall upon him as he heard angry foot stomps from behind him. He turned his shocked face around to see Akane standing there with fire in her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked in an almost innocent voice if it wasn't for the death threatening undertone in it.

Ranma tried desperately to pry the Amazon's arms from around his own. "I'm not doing anything!"

When Akane glanced down at their interlocked arms and looked back at Ranma with tears in her eyes, Ranma couldn't help but feel guilty.

_But I'm not doing anything! It's all this chick!_

"Really Akane, I was just walking and she-"

"Ranma you jerk!" Akane yelled out before the prince could even finish his sentence. He couldn't move in time enough to dodge the fist Akane hit his jaw with. The next thing Ranma knew, he was flying threw the air down the hall.

_Oh well. At least I got Shampoo's arms off me._

**½**

Akane was mad. No, Akane was seething with anger.

_How dare he just stand there!_

Punching Ranma in his smug face felt good. She rather enjoyed it actually. She looked at the purple haired girl standing next to the empty spot where Ranma was just standing with a forced calm.

"You want him? Well you can have him."

She heard Kasumi gasp from behind her but she didn't care. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away with a stubborn face. She didn't care to see Shampoo look at her with a victorious smile.

"What are you talking about Akane?!" Ranma shouted from where he landed down the hall.

"You obviously would rather have Shampoo here clinging to your arm then get married to me," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

_This is ridiculous Akane! I know I shouldn't be making this such a big deal, but…_

"How the heck to you get that conclusion?!" he questioned angrily as he rushed to stand in front of the princess with his fists clenched at his side.

"Ranma no want Shampoo?" they heard Shampoo ask in a depressed voice. Both teens jumped at the voice, momentarily forgetting the Amazon standing next to them.

Akane looked with amused eyes as she watched Ranma squirm under the teary gaze of Shampoo. "Look, it's nothing against you Shampoo. It's just that I'm already engaged to Princess Akane," he said slowly, trying to make the girl understand.

"Violent girl give you to me!" Shampoo said as she stomped her foot on the ground like a child who was denied something they wanted.

_Violent girl?! _

Not knowing what to say, Akane looked over the girl's shoulder with a glare, trying to find their parents. _Where are the adults when you actually want them?_

"Even if she COULD give me away as if I was just a thing, which you can't by the way," he said to Akane with a glare, "I met you only a few minutes ago," he ended with a small nervous grin.

Shampoo merely looked at him with a blank stare and did for a few minutes. No one dare talked while the purple haired Amazon thought over what he said. Akane looked at Ranma with raised eyebrows the same time he turned his head to her with the same look.

"Shampoo like you."

Everyone blinked.

"Um, thanks?"

Akane smacked the back of the prince's head. "You say thanks? Really?"

"Well what am I supposed to say that I haven't already?"

"Shampoo like you!" Shampoo said a louder while stepping in front of Ranma's eye sight of Akane.

"This should be good," Nabiki murmured to Kasumi. They stood behind the group watching the mini soup opera with interest. Kasumi silently nodded her agreement.

"Yes, I think I heard you say that before," Ranma told her, faking being in deep thought. "But like I said before, Shampoo, I'm already engaged-"

To Akane, it was like watching everything happen in slow motion. She watched as Shampoo placed her hands on Ranma's face, pulled him closer to her, then slam her lips on his. Only really, really slow.

"Didn't see that coming," Nabiki mumbled with wide eyes while Kasumi held a hand over her mouth as she gasped.

Akane gaped at the two, watching with wide eyes as Ranma pushed the girl away from him.

"What are you doing?!" Ranma yelled in shock, throwing Akane a panicked look.

"Shampoo like you," Shampoo said with a shrug and a flirty smile.

"Yes we heard that part! But why did you kiss him?!" Akane shouted at the girl only a few feet away from the prince and princess.

Shampoo glared at her. "Ranma mine now," she said, pointing to herself.

"What do you mean yours?!"

"Violent girl not very smart to keep asking questions."

"Look who's talking! And not very well might I add."

"Violent girl better stop!"

"Or what? You'll kiss me?!"

Un-be-known by the two arguing girls, Ranma had inched his way over to where Kasumi and Nabiki were standing. "You guys want to take bets?" Nabiki whispered.

"Nabiki!" Kasumi scolded in a quiet voice so the two still fighting girls wouldn't notice.

"What do I do?! What do I do?!" Ranma asked while waving his arms in the air.

"Play it cool. Act like nothing happened and they'll forget all about it," Nabiki advised him while patting him on the shoulder.

"Really? That will work?"

"Not at all. But I want to see what will happen so you should do it anyway."

"Nabiki!" Kasumi said, trying to hide her smile. Turning to Ranma, she gave the petrified boy a reassuring smile. "I'll try and calm Akane down. I'll talk to her and tell her that you hadn't done anything wrong."

"Thank you!" Ranma said with a grateful sigh. "But what about Shampoo?"

Akane let out a loud frustrated growl. "Ranma! This is all your fault!" And with that said, Akane came and punched Ranma again in the face. She ran off down the hall toward the direction they had just walked from, tears falling down her cheeks. Kasumi took off running after her.

"Now that. That I saw coming," Nabiki said to Shampoo before watching the girl run toward the prince who was too dizzy to get up.

**½**

"I just can't believe he did that," Akane cried into Kasumi's lap. Kasumi had followed Akane into her room where she had flung herself onto her bed, crying into her pillow. When Kasumi came in, she sat down next to the crying princess and only smiled gently down at her when Akane found her way into her sister's comforting presence and laid her head on Kasumi's lap.

"Ranma didn't do anything Akane," Kasumi said, running her fingers through Akane's short hair, trying to soothe the sobbing girl.

"I- I know. But he- I mean he just- You were there, you saw!"

"What I saw was a prince who was only walking next to a guest of his engagement ball when that guest hugged his arm."

"Well yeah, but then he- he- You know!"

"I saw that same prince take her hands off him, look towards you, then explain to the same guest that he was already engaged to you."

"But he kissed her!" Akane said in a whisper, her tears finally slowing.

"I saw her kiss him. And he even pushed her away the second she kissed him."

Akane looked up at her with big teary brown eyes. "He did, didn't he?"

"You know what else I saw? I saw a hurt princess who saw the guy she was really starting to like be with another girl who wasn't her. It's not wise to act on just your jealousy alone Akane, but what you saw had really hurt you."

"So you don't think I over reacted?" Akane asked with a slightly hopeful voice.

"Oh no. You over reacted alright," Kasumi chuckled. "You hit the poor boy twice. The last one I don't think he's going to be able to wake up from for a while."

Akane smiled and lifted herself to a sitting position. She wiped her fallen tears off her cheeks with the back of her hand while Kasumi hugged her shoulders.

"Huh?" Akane looked at the door with drawn eyebrows. "How did you get here?"

**½**

"Genma?"

"Yes Soun?"

"Where are the children?"

**½**

I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to take that long to update. And then I give you THIS to read. What a jerk. Oh well! I stayed up forever to finish writing this since I couldn't get it quite right. Life!

Anyways, just like I promised, I updated before I have to go to camp. But I have to leave for that in about, oh I don't know, tomorrow or something. Depends on how late it really is. So, if I don't respond to a review right away, be patient. I will be back soon. That is if I survive nature.

Thanks for reading! Hope ya liked it!


	14. Pigs and Dances

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

I'm finally home! Yay! I got first place in the archery competition they had there. I got a medal and everything. I figure that gives me a little bragging rights. But, enough of my big head. The last chapter didn't have much Ranma/Akane goodness to it, so I'll do my best here. Just don't hate me if there isn't much. I promise there will be some soon!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter or any chapter! They really make me happy. And let's all thank Megan for reading over the chapters before I post them. Nothing would make sense if she wasn't such a good person to do that for me.

**Disclaimer:** Because I would really write fanfiction about my own show. Think about it people.

**Chapter 14: Pigs and Dances**

The world was spinning as Ranma sat there watching it pass by. He was waiting for his eyes to stop rolling in his head before he would get up to go find Akane.

_Please say Kasumi talked some sense into her!_

"Prince Ranma!" he heard an accented voice yell. "You alright?" Shampoo asked him while kneeling down next to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and slowly waved a hand in front of his face.

_This feels… wrong, _Ranma thought with slight disgust before he dropped his shoulder so Shampoo's hand fell to her side. "Uh, I'm fine Shampoo. Where did Akane go?"

Ranma wasn't expecting the Amazon teenager to dive forward and hug his stomach. "Violent girl gone now! Prince Ranma no more worry!"

Ranma's eyes went wide and he quickly freed his arms out of Shampoo's hold to try and pry her lean arms off him. "Shampoo, yea gotta get off me!"

"Shampoo like you!" he heard the girl almost whine as she made her hold tighter.

"Yes, yes, we heard you the first time. The real question is, why?" came the monotone voice of Nabiki who Ranma saw was walking up to the two with an evil grin.

"Ha ha, you're hilarious," Ranma said sarcastically. "Can you help get her off of me?"

"Why would I do that? It will be much more entertaining watching you all when Akane sees her clinging to you like that."

"You're evil!" Ranma exclaimed while pointing his index finger at her accusingly.

"Now is that any way to talk to your future sister-in-law?" Nabiki asked with her hands on her hips.

"I won't have a future if you don't help and Akane sees me like this!" he yelled angrily as he tried to get out of Shampoo's tight grip.

"Shampoo my dearest! Now that we are alone we don't have to hide our love!" a voice echoed in the hall from the direction the Great Hall is. Ranma's arms halted their attempt of freedom as he watched a boy about his age run down the hall and jump into the air. His long black hair flew around him with the wind he made as gravity pulled him down to land right in front of them.

Expecting the teenager to land on Shampoo and him, Ranma closed his eyes, waiting for the impact that had yet to come. Feeling that he was still in one piece and still had Shampoo's arms firmly set around his abdomen, he peeked one eye open only to see the funniest sight he ever saw.

In the arms of the tall black haired boy was his very own evil future sister-in-law. His arms were covered in white cloth from his outfit and his bangs stopped right before his eyes. His outfit looked similar to Shampoo's except for the difference in length. A huge smile was plastered on his face and his chin rested on top of Nabiki's brown hair.

"Unless you never want to see the light of day again, I suggest you take your hands off of me," Nabiki threatened the boy in a menacing voice. Though it was slightly muffled by the fact that her head was being buried in his shirt, the voice was still enough to give Ranma chills up his spine.

"Shampoo, you don't have to be shy about the strong love we share!" the squinting boy told her while pushing Nabiki harder against his chest.

_Man, this guy and Kuno are basically the same person! _

"Stupid Mousse," Shampoo said from beside him. "That not Shampoo."

"Huh?" the boy Shampoo called Mousse dumbly replied as he looked down at the girl he still held in his arms. Lifting a hand above his head and bringing down a pair of huge round glasses, he gazed through them at the angry face of Princess Nabiki.

"You have five seconds to get off me, if that," Nabiki told him with evil radiating of her.

Instantly Mousse's hands let her go and he sheepishly took a step back with his hands held up in defense. "What you doing here Mousse?" Shampoo asked in annoyed voice.

Seeing her distraction as the perfect opportunity to go find Akane, Ranma slide the girls arms off him and tip-toed around the group as Mousse declared his undying love for her. Once at a safe distance, Ranma took off at a run.

_Finally got rid of those psychos! _Ranma celebrated in his mind as he slowed his pace to a walk. Knowing Akane probably ran to her room, Ranma decided to walk there first before he checked anywhere else. Hands in pockets, he walked care free down the hall he had just walked down last night. _How do things turn from good to bad so quick around here? _

The sound of foot steps snapped him out of his thoughts, making Ranma stop in the middle of the hallway. Looking up the hall to see who was walking down it, he saw Kasumi walking beside a red eyed Akane who was holding something in her arms.

Ranma took a deep breath in a way to gather his courage and opened his mouth to speak to the princess, who just noticed him being ahead of her. But before he got out a word, he stopped short and realized he had no clue what to say to the brown eyed princess coming closer and closer to where he was standing.

_Why didn't you think of something to say when you were walking down here moron?!_

Frantically looking at the many pictures on the wall, he tried to think of something to say that wouldn't upset the girl even more. When the two girls had finally reached him and stood in front of me with expecting eyes, Ranma stared wide eyed at them, feeling like a cage animal.

"Um, Akane I-"

"It's okay Ranma. I might have over reacted a little," Akane said before he could finish.

"A little?" Ranma snorted then mentally slapped a hand to his forehead. _Am I really trying to make things worse?_

"Shut up jerk! I'm letting you off the hook aren't I?" Akane snapped at him. Thankfully, Ranma kept his mouth shut as he gave the older princess a look of gratitude. He knew that Akane was this understanding because Kasumi calmed her down enough to make her think.

"What's wrong P-chan?" Akane asked the thing in her arms in a sweet voice while holding it up so they were face to face. Ranma looked closer at the thing and saw that it was a little black piglet with a yellow bandana tied around its neck.

_Where have I seen that before? _Ranma wondered as he took a step closer to get a better look of the struggling piglet in the girl's hands.

"He wasn't acting like that a minute ago," Kasumi said in a voice full of question.

"Where'd you find a pig at Akane?" Ranma asked, eyeing the pig with suspicion. He reached out a hand to take him from Akane when the pig snapped at him, biting the prince's hand with great force.

"Hey!"

"It seems P-chan doesn't like you Prince Ranma," Kasumi said with a giggle and her ever present smile on her face.

"Stupid pig," Ranma mumbled as he rubbed the spot the piglet had sunk his teeth into. He stuck his tongue out at the offending animal only to get a growl back in return.

"Be nice to P-chan Ranma!" Akane scolded him.

"He started it!" Ranma shouted back at her, pointing at the black pig franticly.

"There you children are!" they heard an all too familiar voice shout from down the hallway. "I've been looking everywhere! Where have you two been?"

Akane looked at Ms. Hinako with innocent eyes and gave her a face showing false shame. "We had guests arrive early this morning, Ms. Hinako," she said while lowering P-chan back into her arms and cradling him. "We were told we had to meet them the second they came through the doors."

The vampire's angry face immediately softened at the princess's explanation. "Oh of course! I'm sorry I got so cross with you Princess," she said with a bow. Straightening her back, she turned hard eyes to Ranma and gave him a small glare. "And what of you Prince Ranma?"

"What? I was with her!" Ranma told her while jumping behind her. He stood there giving the teacher a cheeky smile with his hands on Akane's shoulders, using her as his shield from the woman in front of them. He ignored the growl P-chan made.

"And you could not come see me to inform me about this?" Ms. Hinako questioned, placing her hands on her hips, her brown hair swinging behind her from the movement.

"But- I had to- she," Ranma stuttered, trying to find the right excuse that would get him out of trouble.

"I'm afraid that's my fault," Akane chimed in. Ranma looked down at her with shock wondering why she was covering for him. He didn't miss the slight blush she had on her cheeks from his closeness. His shock turned to a smirk as he stood behind her, waiting for her to finish the excuse.

"I, um, kind of got upset about something. Ranma was just coming to check up on me. Right Ranma?" she said with a cheery voice.

"Uh, yeah. What she said."

Ms. Hinako crossed her arms and looked at the two with a raised eyebrow. "If you say so." She sighed and uncrossed her arms. "Well, come on you two. You still have class today even if it is your engagement ball. Princess," she said as she gave Kasumi a curtsy.

Kasumi smiled and nodded her head at the brown haired beauty. Akane placed a struggling P-chan into Kasumi's arms and together with Ranma, followed behind the vampire to their final class of the week.

**½**

"1-2-3. 1-2-3. 1- 2- heads up straight!-3," Ms. Hinako spoke on every beat to the music, correcting stances in between. "1-2-3. 1-2- move your feet Prince Ranma!-3.1-2- stop!"

Akane sighed. This was the fourth time they had to stop. Apparently, neither she nor Ranma were good dancers. She slumped her shoulders waiting for her to instruct Ranma on what he was doing wrong.

"This is a happy dance Prince Ranma! There for, the tempo is very important. So keep up with it!" The princess hid her smile from the passing teacher at the look Ranma gave her behind her back. "Alright. Let's try this one more time."

The fast paced music started up again and Akane and Ranma clumsily moved about the floor, both too busy looking down at their feet to pay any attention to the other from where they were. "1-2-3. 1-2-3," Ms. Hinako counted, almost drowning out the music. She even started clapping along with her words.

The vampire held out her hand to the musicians helping out with her etiquette lesson for them to stop. The two teens looked up from their feet to see their teacher running a hand down her face. "On second thought, why don't we just avoid fast dances tonight?"

"Agreed," both royals said with serious faces.

"How about we work on the slow dances? It's essential that the royal couple dance the first dance of the evening," Ms. Hinako told them with her index finger pointed up in the air as if to accentuate her point. "Now, come over here you two. That's it, stand face to face. Closer children! This is a dance, not a boxing match."

_Oh how little she knows us, _thought Akane with a grimace as she took a step closer to the pig tailed prince.

"Now, the difference between slow and fast dances is that when in a fast dance, the partners come in contact very little. They're moves are always in sink with each other, but always from opposite sides of the room. Slow dances however, while the partners are also moving in sink with one another; they are doing it at a closer proximity."

Of course, both already knew this, but that didn't stop Ranma from gulping nervously and Akane from blushing. Akane shyly glanced up at Ranma's face to see him peering over at her from behind his bangs.

"Alright, you two get into position while I go tell the band what song to play," Ms. Hinako ordered as she walked over to the small stage area where the band had set up specifically for this lesson. The ballroom where everything was taking place that night had maids and servants running all over: decorating and giving the place an extra shine.

Ranma lifted the side of his mouth, giving his princess a half smile. Overdramatically, he offered her his hand and waited for her to take it as he bowed low to the ground. "Your hand Milady?"

Akane's laugh echoed throughout the quiet room as she playfully held her dress at both sides and curtsied with a smile on her bowed face. Standing up, she grabbed his offered hand and took a step closer, getting ready to start dancing. "Of course, Good Sir."

She watched as Ranma straightened his back and tightened his hold on her hand. He smiled down at their linked hands then turned his gaze back to Akane's face. A sudden nervous look crossed his face as he realized what he had to do next.

Akane laughed again and with her unoccupied hand, she grabbed onto Ranma's arm and placed his hand on the small of her back. "Just don't move your hand from right there and you're safe."

"Oh well, in that case, it's good as glued," Ranma said just as the instruments began playing their slow tune. Two pairs of feet moved across the floor, as their bodies swept around the room in a smooth dance. Neither broke the gaze they held with each other nor did either lose the smile each face had.

"Very good children!" they heard Ms. Hinako shout from next to the violin player.

"You hear that Akane? Apparently we're very good dancers," Ranma joked as they spun around in a circle.

"We'll be the talk of the town," Akane said in an airy voice.

"Everyone will know of us."

"Jealousy will sweep the nation."

"Dancers everywhere will try to live up to the reputation of Prince Ranma and Princess Akane."

"But none will be able to accomplish it."

"For how could they? We are, after all, very good dancers," Ranma said, finishing the little game by with a smirk.

Akane looked at their joined hands and noticed how small hers was when held in his. He handled her gently, as if she would break any minute if he held on too tight. Her hand on his broad shoulder felt like a child's, all the while her being very aware of the hand resting on her back.

"These times make it worth don't ya think?" Ranma said in a far off kind of voice, interrupting Akane from her thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Akane asked as she felt the bottom of her dress brush against the back of her legs as they kept the dance going.

"I mean," Ranma began, looking down at the girl in his arms with a face full of love, "with us fighting all the time, things going wrong, and others messing up everything, being able to have moments like this with you where everything seems perfect makes all of it worth it," He shrugged his shoulders and looked to the side with a blank face.

Akane looked at him with wide, surprised eyes for a few seconds before a huge smile spread across her pretty face. "Why, Ranma. Who knew you could be such a romantic?"

"Not a romantic!" he embarrassedly whispered a little harshly, like it was a crime for them to even think such a thing. "I'm just simply saying what I think. I tend to do that a lot if you haven't noticed."

"Oh I've noticed. I was starting to believe you permanently had your foot in your mouth." Akane told him with a smirk.

"No. Not permanently. There are some things I do lie about," Ranma said with another shrug.

"Like what?" Akane asked while she spun out.

Ranma spun her back in and in one fluid movement, leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Like, I really don't think you're not cute." Straightening his back, he gave her a boyish smile. "In fact, I think you're actually quite beautiful."

Akane's heart was racing. _Did he really just say that?!_ Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, surprise clearly written on her face. Finally, she closed it and looked at the boy dancing with her with a raised eyebrow.

"What else have you been hiding in that testosterone filled head of yours?" she asked with a skeptical look.

"Now what's the fun in telling you that," they each spun around and faced back towards each other, "when my favorite part is seeing how mad you get at the things I say?"

Shaking her head, Akane rolled her eyes and smiled at the boy. "And there goes the moment."

"Well, it can't be that hard to get back."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Akane asked with a tilt of her head and a smile adorning her lips.

"Oh, I'm sure I can figure out something," he sarcastically as he slowly leaned his head towards hers.

Akane slowly did the same while looking down at his lips coming closer to her own. All other thoughts flew out of her mind as the space between their faces became less and less. Both too got up to remember where they were and who else was in the room. They stopped dancing and stood in the middle of the room, the music fading from their hearing.

Just as Ranma's lips were close enough for Akane to feel his breath, he stopped his movement and looked in the eyes. Her eyes gazed into his as he whispered shyly, "Are sure?"

The princess merely smiled before closing the gap Ranma had left between their lips. The sudden contact made Ranma's eyes widen before they flickered shut as he instinctively pushed back against her lips to kiss her back. His arm on her back wound around her waist and the hand that held Akane's moved to link they're fingers together from where they were still held up from the position they were from dancing.

"And this gentlemen, is where we take our leave," Ms. Hinako whispered to the band as they all began tiptoeing out of the room, instruments in hand.

Tilting his head a little to the side, Ranma deepened the kiss. Akane pulled him closer by wrapping her arm around the prince's neck. His lips were soft and warm pressed to hers. Pure bliss filled her, causing her to smile against the lips covering her own. After a few minutes, they broke apart for some much needed air; they stood still in each other's arms and hands still linked.

"Now what?" Akane whispered in between breaths with their faces still close together.

"I… don't know," Ranma whispered back. He looked down into Akane's glazed over eyes and swollen lips and smiled.

Akane bit her bottom lip in thought and looked at their still entwined fingers. "I guess we should be getting back now. We do have guests after all."

Ranma scowled at the mention of guests. "Do we really have to? I mean, isn't it enough we show up at the ball?"

"I wish," she said with a sigh.

Just then, a blur busted through the windows of the room and bounced off the walls. Ranma stood in front of Akane protectively with her peeking over his shoulder to see what the thing was.

"I finally found her!" the thing yelled in an old croaky voice. The blur finally stopped moving and standing in front of them was an old man the same height of Cologne. He wore blue pants and a blue shirt and in his hand was in a fist holding something. "I've finally found my blue haired beauty!"

_What the?! _Akane thought frantically as the man held up her hair that had gotten cut off yesterday.

"Who are you?!" Ranma shouted angrily at the strange old man who was looking with shining eyes at Akane.

"Happosai, sunny," he told him, laughing a crazy sounding laugh and placing his fists on his hips. "Now step aside and let me get a clear view of that beautiful young lady behind you."

**½**

OO You don't have to tell me how bad that last part was. I know. That was very… awkward I think. Just me? I've never written a scene like that before, so, you all just got to see the sad attempt made by me. This might sound crazy, but, any tips on how to make it less bad sounding?

Anyway, I just spent all night cranking this out for you guys so now I don't feel like such a big jerk for bragging about archery. So yeah. The reason for me writing this all right now, is that I won't be on the computer as much for a while. I'm not allowed on until I'm done my summer reading book. /

Oh well! Reviews are, as always, very much appreciated! Thanks so much for reading!


	15. Misunderstandings in the Bathroom

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart**

I'm really sorry it's been taking me so long to update! Summer reading is a bigger pain in the butt than actual school at times. So just bare with me. I haven't forgotten about this story or anything. Thanks for sticking with me this far!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate you taking time and telling me what you thought. And to all of those who put this on their alert lists or favorites. You guys rock! And how could I go without thanking TendoAkane92? She saved my butt and gave me some awesome ideas for the whole beginning. Thank you again!

**Disclaimer:** Once upon a time there was a girl who never owned Ranma ½. Her name was me. True story.

**Chapter 15: Misunderstandings in the Bathroom**

_Did he seriously just call me Sunny? _Ranma thought only to be jolted out of them as he saw the old man jump into the air.

"Let me examine my prize!" he shouted in the air as tears of joy fell from the corner of his eyes. With his arms outstretched and his eyes closed in anticipation, he dove toward the two royals in what seemed like slow motion.

But everything turned to normal as Happosai crashed face first into the bottom of Ranma's shoe. With his hands in his pockets and his leg raised up to stop Happosai's oncoming attack, Ranma watched with half lidded eyes as the little man fell from where he was suspended in the air and onto the hard ground.

"Did you really think that was going to work?" Ranma asked with a raised eyebrow as Akane peeked further over his shoulder to look at the man huddled on the ground.

"What's he doing?" Akane whispered to Ranma as they watched Happosai hug his knees and rocked back and forth while still on the floor.

"I think he's… crying," Ranma whispered back. "He has worse mood swings then our fathers."

"You're telling me."

"The way you treat your elders," Happosai started to mutter under his breath as tears dramatically fell from his eyes once again, only this time not out of joy. Ranma and Akane watched with horror as a visible red aura started glowing off him.

In a spur of sudden energy, Happosai jumped up and stood up with his arms out at his side. "Someone ought to teach a dishonorable boy like your self a lesson!" He reached inside his shirt and pulled out an already lit stick of dynamite the same size of his extremely small hand, his aura still glowing around him.

Looking at the situation at hand, Ranma couldn't help but laugh. He grabbed his stomach in an attempt to stop. "What do you think you're going to do with that?" he said between breaths as he pointed to the bomb. "Blow up the castle?"

Happosai glared at the prince with his huge eyes. "Uh, Ranma? Maybe you shouldn't-" Akane started to say to her laughing fiancé.

But before she got finished saying her warning, Happosai increased his glare and shouted out, "Maybe this will be a lesson to respect your elders!" Seeing what was going to happen, Akane ran to the door and stood outside in the hall, bracing herself for what she was pretty sure was coming.

Ranma though, too busy laughing, didn't see the older man throw the dynamite toward where the young prince was standing. Ranma stopped laughing just in time to hear a loud explosion echo throughout the room. He felt himself be forcibly thrown into the air and slammed against the ceiling, feeling it break to pieces on his back.

_Me and my big mouth…_

**½**

Akane stuck her head in the room, looking at the spot where Ranma had just stood only to see a giant hole instead.

"Ranma?" Akane asked cautiously as she walked into the room and stood in the middle of the damage the tiny dynamite had made. Seeing only Happosai standing in the corner with a smile on his face and no sign of Ranma, Akane began to worry. When she felt specks of rubble fall on her nose, she looked up to see another hole in the ceiling.

Her jaw dropped at the sight. Instead of looking at the ceiling like she should be, instead she was seeing clear blue skies till something caught her eye. Flying through the sky at a great speed she saw Ranma spinning in circles, black braid trailing behind him.

_Is that even possible?!_

As Akane stared in shock, Ranma flew out of view. The princess looked wide eyes and a gaping mouth from the ceiling's hole to the only other person in the room. Happosai just smiled and waved a pipe he had pulled out of his shirt while Ranma was being blown into orbit.

"That will show him!" he cackled.

Akane felt too stunned to move. The man she had just danced with, had just kissed, was just blown up by a man not even half his size and was currently hurling through the air like a piece of paper.

"Now that he's gone, I can take my prize!" Happosai said, jumping toward Akane in excitement. With arms once again reaching out and eyes closed in anticipation, Happosai flew towards the shocked princess. But midway through his long jump over to where Akane stood, they heard humming from outside in the hallway. Happosai dropped to the floor and looked toward the noise with an annoyed expression on his face.

Passing by the open doorway walked Akari carrying a basket overflowing with just done laundry. From the top of the pile in the basket, a bra fell onto the floor, mostly noticed by the perverted old man.

The annoyed look on his face disappeared as his eyes again shined with tears as a smile stretched out across his face. "What a haul!"

Akane numbly turned her head toward the door to see Akari set the basket down on the floor and pick up the fallen bra. Still humming, she stood up straight and with the basket under one arm, she continued walking in ignorant bliss of what she had just caught the attention of.

"Come back!" Happosai called out after her as he ran to the door. Akane watched him run in the direction the pretty young maid had gone for a few minutes before realizing what was going on.

_Oh my gosh! Akari!_

Snapping out of her daze, she lifted up the bottom of her skirt, and ran in the same direction that the two before her had gone in. Not seeing them in the hall, she ran down the next one in hopes of finding them there.

"Where could they be?!" she cried under her breath as she kept searching. Then, with the timing of a tv show, Akane heard a scream coming from the direction of the kitchens. Without a second thought, she went to the kitchen and burst through the door.

"Akari?!" Akane called out while looking through the shocked faces for the one of the maid she was looking for. But instead of finding what she expected, she found Happosai lying unconscious on the flour covered floor with a huge bump on his head.

"Who is this freak?!" Ukyou asked while holding a giant spatula over her head.

_Well now I know where he got the bump from… _Akane thought with a relieved sigh at the thought of not having to deal with him herself.

"His name is Happosai. We don't know exactly who he is though," Akane said cautiously walking over to where Ukyou was standing while trying to avoid getting too close to the small man.

"Princess!" Akari said from behind where she was standing behind Ukyou. "Are you alright?!"

"Yes I'm fine. He left before he could do anything to me," Akane said relieved. "Are you alright though? I heard you scream."

"Oh yes I'm fine. He leapt at me and I screamed, but Miss Ukyou here hit him before he could reach me," Akari told her breathlessly. Turning to Ukyou, she gave a small curtsy. "Thank you very much for saving me Miss Ukyou," she said in her usual cheery voice.

A light blush covered the chef's cheeks and she took to staring at the ground. "It was nothing, sugar."

"What do we do with him then?" Akane said, looking at the man with disgust.

"I'll take him to Tofu's, Princess," a friendly cook said from across the room. He walked over to the man and picked him up, placing him on his shoulder before walking out of the kitchen.

"Well," Akari said picking up the forgotten basket, "I have to go back to work." With that she said goodbye and walked calmly out as if nothing at all just happened.

An awkward silence surrounded the young royal and the chef as they stood there not knowing what to do now. "Where's Ranma?" Ukyou asked, avoiding Akane's gaze.

"Oh, he's… out," Akane said with a nervous laugh. With her hands clasped behind her back, she slowly started walking backwards to the door. "Now that you mention it, I should really go get him," she said, pointing her thumb behind her.

Ukyou merely raised an eyebrow and tightened the bow in her hair as she watched the princess go. When Akane rushed out the door, she let out a breath she was holding.

_Where the heck am I supposed to find Ranma at?_

"Akane! There you are!" she heard from down the hall. Lifting her eyes, she saw her dad and King Genma walking towards her. "We were wondering where you children went to."

"We had lessons dad," Akane said.

"Where is Ranma at?" King Genma asked from beside Soun.

"A man named Happosai came into the-" Akane began to explain.

"Happosai?!" Both kings yelled out at once. Genma's face turned pale while Soun looked around for anyone who could over hear. Leaning in close to Akane, he cupped a hand over his mouth and whispered, "Where is he at now?"

"Well, Ukyou knocked him out so one of the cooks took him to Doctor Tofu's," she told him sheepishly.

"Genma!" King Soun said in a loud voice while pointing his index finger forward, "To the library!"

"But that's all the way at the other end of the castle from Doctor Tofu's!" Akane yelled to the two as they scurried down the hall.

"Exactly!"

Akane sighed and walked toward the library where her father and Ranma's father were planning on hiding.

_I have to find out who that pervert is!_

**½**

"Clouds are Satan," Ranma mumbled in his high pitched voice. Ringing the water from his now red hair and complaining under his breath about the cruelness of clouds being made of water, he walked to the bathroom in the castle to get some hot water to change back into a boy. He wasn't even sure where it was he landed after flying so far away from the castle.

Walking across his room to get to the bathroom that was connected, he didn't bother closing the door all the way. He didn't notice the little black piglet following behind him as he snuck through the crack in the door.

When he finally reached the bathroom, he poured hot water into a bucket lying in the corner. As it reached the top, he stopped the water and picked up the bucket with both hands, holding it above his head to pour. All the while the still unnoticed piglet stood by his feet, bandana wrapped around his neck, waiting for the water to hit.

Hot water splashed onto Ranma's head, changing him back into his original gender. Rolling his shoulders and shaking his head to get rid of the water, he kept his eyes closed in an attempt to relax. Turning his head to right, he finally opened his eyes only to see that he was nose to nose with a certain black haired boy.

"Hello Ranma," Ryoga said with glare.

"Ryoga," Ranma said in a calm voice. "What are you doing in my bathroom?" he asked with a blank face. Sweeping his eyes down and back up he added in an almost bored voice, "Let me rephrase. What are you doing in my bathroom, naked?"

"You're not surprised?" Ryoga asked in shock. He was sure that Ranma was going to scream like a girl when he found him standing there.

"Well, I did have my doubts when you seemed to have a crush on Akane, but I knew it all along," the prince said with a shrug of his shoulder.

"What do you mean you knew it all along?!"

"Hey, it's ok man. If you swing that way, then by all means, swing away. You just be you. Don't try to hide who you really are."

Ryoga's eye began twitching as he stared at the prince in bewilderment. "That's not it at all, idiot."

"Dude, it's ok! While I'm not totally comfortable with the idea, it's no reason for you to pretend you're not who you are. I know my good looks are irresistible. It's as much of a talent as a curse. But I have to tell you, I like girls," Ranma began to ramble, placing his hand on Ryoga's bare shoulder in an act of comfort.

"I'm P-chan you moron!" Ryoga yelled in Ranma's face.

"You're P-chan?" Ranma asked, taking a step back.

"Well, genius here finally gets it," Ryoga said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. "This is all your fault Ranma!"

"My fault?!" Ranma shouted getting angry. "How is this my fault?! If anything it's yours!"

"You were the one who pointed me towards Jusenkyo Forest! I didn't find out that it was the wrong direction until I fell into the Spring of Drowned Pig!" Ryoga shouted back.

"Hey now. Let's not place the blame on anyone," Ranma said, waving his hands in defense. After a moment of thinking, Ranma's eyes widened in a surprise. With no warning to Ryoga, Ranma kicked him in the stomach making him fly through the bathroom door.

"You really are a pig!" the prince hollered. "You let Akane coddle you, you pervert!"

Ryoga blushed and still managed a glare to the young prince. "Wow Ranma. That's a pretty big word for you. Would you like me to get you some ice for your brains?"

"Sure. Why don't we just scrape some off your heart? That is, if you can find it."

"Oh I have a heart Ranma! And it cares more for Akane then you ever will!" Ryoga shouted while grabbing a pillow to hide his nakedness.

"Care more for Akane then I do? Ha! If that were true then why would Akane and I- oh my gosh! Akane!" Not bothering to explain, he ran out of his bedroom, leaving Ryoga sitting there in confusion.

"Prince Ranma, your father wanted me to tell-" a servant began to say as he walked in the room only to stop mid sentence at the sight of Ryoga.

"It's not what it looks like!" Ryoga said in a rush, his whole face bright red.

"I didn't see a thing," the servant said walking out of the room, shaking his head.

**½**

"Lord Happosai taught us how to be the kings we are today," King Soun said to Akane from across the table in the library where she had followed them.

"So he was your teacher?" Akane asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I suppose you can call him that," Soun mumbled.

"I prefer spawn of the devil myself," Genma said from beside him, his gaze never leaving the table top.

"And you're afraid of him why?" Akane asked with half lidded eyes.

"It was torturous Akane!" Soun wailed, running to her side in a fit of tears. Gripping her arms he told the tragic tale of how life was for the two. "Stealing underwear from the maids on top of the other things! What else were we supposed to do?!"

"Why did you invite him to the ball in the first place?" Akane asked while grabbing his wrists and prying his hands of her arm.

"We had to Princess!" King Genma exclaimed, running to the other side of Akane and grabbing her arm like Soun did with tears of his own comically running down his face. "The engagement of the two royals who will join the kingdoms is an important event! We had no choice but to invite the little demon to it!"

"Alright alright! I get it! Will you let go of my arm?"

_What babies._

"Dad!" they heard Ranma shout as he slammed the door against the wall.

"Ranma?!" Akane said in surprise.

"Akane!" the black haired prince said with relief.

"Are you alright?" Akane asked walking up to him, leaving the two kings still crouching by the chair.

"How come my name is the only one that wasn't called?" Soun whispered to Genma as they watched their children talk.

"I'm fine. But that's not important. Did that old pervert touch you?" Ranma asked her, placing his hands on her shoulders in concern.

"Look how well the children are getting along Soun!" Genma said to Soun with a wide grin from where they were hiding behind the chair to spy on the prince and princess.

"The kingdoms will be joined in no time!"

"We can hear you, you know!" both teens shouted with veins throbbing in their heads.

In that moment Queen Nodoka walked through the door into the library. "What are you children still doing here?" she lightly scolded.

"What do you mean mom?" Ranma asked, taking his hands off Akane's shoulders and moving to stand next to her.

"What I mean is that you should be getting ready for the ball tonight! The guests aren't even here!"

"Oh yeah. Where is Shampoo and all of them?" Ranma asked.

"Why do you care?" Akane questioned in an accusing tone of voice. Ranma's eyes went wide and started muttering under his breath something about his foot and where it always ends up.

"They are getting ready. As you two should be. Come along," Nodoka said ushering them out of the library.

They went their separate ways in the hall, each going to their room to get dressed. When Akane opened the door to her room she saw that her sisters were already there, dressed and waiting to help, along with plenty of maids to do her hair and makeup.

"There you are Akane!" Kasumi said with a smile. "Come over here and put the dress on." Akane smiled and walked over to the light pink dress and fingered the soft fabric.

"Just think little sister," Nabiki said, leaning against the bed post, "tonight's the engagement ball and pretty soon is your birthday. After that will be your wedding."

"Yeah. I guess it is," Akane said looking out the window.

**½**

Ranma couldn't stop fidgeting with his hands. He was standing outside of the doors to the ballroom, waiting for Akane to come so they could be announced.

"Ranma," he heard a deep voice say from behind him. He turned around to Ryoga standing before him with a fancier kind of yellow shirt.

"Ah, there you are Bacon Breath. You found clothes I see," Ranma said with cocky grin.

"Quit the cute stuff," Ryoga growled out. "Did you tell Akane about me being P-chan?"

"We had more important things to talk about then your disgusting actions," the prince told him, giving the boy with the bandana a disgusted look. "But I'm sure it will come up at some point tonight."

"You can't tell her! It's all your fault I'm like this in the first place!"

After a pause of thinking, Ranma sighed. "You got me there. But a reason like that won't keep your secret for long Ryoga!" he warned while poking Ryoga in the chest with his index finger. "Now, get inside before Akane comes."

Ryoga scowled but did as he was told and walked into the ballroom full of people. Ranma went back to wringing his hands together in nervousness.

_Where is she?! _he thought as he ran a hand down his face. A few seconds later he heard footsteps coming down the hall leading to where he was standing.

"Prince Ranma," the ever so kind Princess Kasumi greeted him with a nod and a smile.

"Princess," he responded with nervous nod back in greeting.

"Akane should be here any minute."

"Don't choke lover boy!" Nabiki said in a cheery voice as she and Kasumi joined everyone in the ballroom.

_Like that's going to help…_

Footsteps echoed once again through the hall. Ranma turned his head in time to see Akane walk up to him in her light pink dress. The prince could do nothing but gape at how gorgeous she looked.

In her hair was a clip shaped like a Chinese dragon holding hair away from her face on the one side. The makeup on her face made her brown eyes shine even more. And the smile she had on lit up her face.

"Are you going to say something or just stare at me like that all night?" Akane said with a laugh.

"You- you look… beautiful!" he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Really."

"Excuse me Prince Ranma, Princess Akane, but are you ready to be announced?" a man at the door asked while he blushed and avoided looking at the teens while they had their moment.

"Are you ready?" Ranma asked her with nervous grin. He stepped back and offered her his arm.

Akane sighed and placed her arm on his. She smiled and said in a cheery tone "As I'll ever be!"

Together they walked to the closed doors and stood waiting to be announced by the man standing at the door. They could hear everything that was going on inside the ballroom.

"Now presenting the newly engaged couple, Prince Ranma Saotome and Princess Akane Tendo!"

The two young royals each took a deep breath as the doors opened up before them.

**½**

Sorry it took so long! School starts Tuesday. I'm crying on the inside I assure you. Alright well, I'll update as soon as I can! I'll definitely try to not make it as long as this one was (Which I'm real sorry about!).

Thank you for reading!


	16. Painting Jealousy

Once Upon a Broken Heart

**Once Upon a Broken Heart **

Starting school after doing nothing all summer is hard and not wanted. Homework is slowly piling up and it's only the first week! I HATE HOMEWORK. Thank the lord for study hall.

Anyway, thanks to all who reviewed and put this on some list or another. I was so excited to see how well you guys responded to it! Alright, on to the story…

**Disclaimer:** I'm running out of clever ways to say that I don't own Ranma. /

**Chapter 16: Painting Jealousy**

The thundering noise of the applauding audience welcomed the young royal couple as the stepped through the giant doors and into the greatly decorated ballroom. At the other end stood their families, the two kings and the queen standing next to thrones cushioned with red velvet.

"Today we celebrate the uniting of our kingdom and King Genma's kingdom by the marriage of our wonderful children! Let us kick off this ball with the first dance of the evening!" King Soun shouted as the crowd once again started clapping and cheering for the beginning of the celebration.

With a face set in determination, Akane walked with Ranma to the center of the dance floor where the many people had parted to give them room. Looking through the sea of people, Akane spotted Akari standing beside Doctor Tofu, both whom smiled and waved at the nervous princess walking by. Akane gave a small smile and turned her gaze back to the way she was walking.

"Scared?" she heard Ranma whisper from beside her.

"Of course not," she told him, standing up a little straighter to prove her point better. "You?"

"For something like dancing in front of a crowd of people I don't know who will be judging me with every fiber of their being? Don't be ridiculous."

Akane rolled her eyes as they continued walking. The only things being talked about as they made their long way to the middle of the dance floor was how cute the two looked together, how nice the new hair cut on the princess was, and how lucky they were to have such a handsome future king.

They took the final steps to the middle of the floor where they stopped and turned to face each other. Ranma bent at the waist in a deep bow while Akane lifted the sides of her gown and gave a curtsy fit for a queen to be.

The slow beats of the music filled the room when the musicians got the go ahead from Ms. Hinako who was standing in the crowd near the stage where all the instruments were placed. Ranma stepped up and offered his hand out to Akane who smiled and placed her own hand in his. Without hesitation this time, Ranma stepped closer to his dance partner and gently rested his hand on the small of her back.

Their feet moved across the floor as they danced to the sound of the instruments echoing through the huge ballroom. Neither prince nor princess spoke, letting the music being the only sound around them.

_So is it official now? Are we really engaged?_

Akane let her mind wander off as they danced to the person she was dancing so close with. It seemed so long ago that King Genma flew through the door and Ranma came in running after him. Even longer since she found out she was going to be married to him. Nabiki's words flashed through Akane's mind.

"_Just think little sister, tonight's the engagement ball and pretty soon is your birthday. After that will be your wedding."_

"Ranma," Akane asked in a quiet voice as they continued to dance, "my birthday is coming up soon you know."

"Um, when exactly? All anyone says is just soon. No one seems to know exactly how soon," Ranma said with drawn eyebrows as he looked at Akane.

"A week and a couple days," she said trying not to get mad.

_How does he not even now when my birthday?_

Ranma's eyes widened and panic showed in his eyes. He didn't know that her birthday was that soon.

"Are you alright?" Akane asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ranma looked at her a moment before answering. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," he said in a dismissive voice. "Just thinking that's all."

"Thinking? I didn't know you were capable," the princess said with a smirk.

"And to think I've been nice to you all day."

"All day?"

"Well, ok, most of the day," he said with a roll of his eyes. "You have to admit though; it's been a bloody long day."

"Agreed," Akane shouted over the claps that started at the end of the song. Ranma gave another bow and Akane another curtsy before joining their audience and clapped for the musicians before setting off to where their families were standing.

_One week and a couple days, _Akane kept replaying in her head.

**½**

_One week and a couple days... Aren't we supposed to get married sometime after her birthday?!_

If it wasn't such an "unmanly" thing to do, Ranma was sure he would be hyperventilating right where he stood. It seemed to him like his impending doom had just walked up and slapped him in the face as if it was out to get revenge. He still felt the sting even as they reached the part of the gigantic ballroom where the thrones were placed for the special evening.

"That was wonderful children!" Queen Nodoka gushed as the two came in close enough range to hear over the music that once again began to play only at a faster pace.

"Ranma!"

The booming voice of his father made him and everyone around the thrones including the older couple standing near by jump in surprise. Ranma slammed his palm to his forehead while the queen gave a nervous laugh to the couple.

"Good job dancing with your fiancé son," King Genma said giving him a thumbs up.

"Yes. I think the people are very warm to the idea of uniting the kingdoms," King Soun said, popping into the conversation from beside where he was standing next to Genma.

_They're insane… _Ranma thought as he stared at the two with a twitching eye.

"Come with me," Nabiki said coming up beside Ranma and linking her arm through his.

"Hey!" he shouted in surprise as she started dragging him away from their dads. Reaching the table full of food, Nabiki unlinked their arms and with her hands on his shoulders, guided him to stand next to the table.

"Perfect," she said with a satisfied smile on her face as her arms fell to her sides.

"Well I prefer Ranma, but I can learn to deal with it I guess," Ranma said with a shrug.

"Hmm, jokes about obviously big head that aren't funny at all? No wonder my sister can beat you up," Nabiki told him with half lidded eyes as she started tugging out the wrinkles in his shirt.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she started to brush off his shoulders.

"The question is not what I am doing, but more like what you will be doing," the princess said with a mischievous glint in her eyes as she made it a point to say 'you' with an emphasis.

"No, I'm pretty sure I asked about you," Ranma told her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well if you must know, Shampoo is paying me for one dance with you."

"What?!" the prince shouted loudly, scaring the same couple that had retreated to the table to escape from the loud voice of his father. "I'm not dancing with Shampoo!"

"Oh yes you are," Nabiki threatened him, giving him a glare. "Shampoo and I made a deal when you left this morning."

"But Akane will kill me! I'm serious! My body will be nothing but little Ranma pieces scattered around the floor!"

"You're expecting we find anything of your body?" Nabiki asked with a serious face.

The prince glared at the princess standing in front of him. "What makes you think I'm gonna dance with someone just because you're getting paid Nabiki?"

"Do you want a certain secret of a certain prince turning into a princess to be known by everyone?" she asked with a fake smile.

"Do you even have a soul?" he asked after a hesitant moment of silence.

"Nope! Sold that too."

"Prince Ranma!" the excited voice of Shampoo interrupted by shouting as she came up to where the two royals were standing.

Ranma winced at the sound of the Chinese girl and turned to her with dread. "Uh, hi Shampoo," he said begrudgingly.

"Prince Ranma dance with Shampoo yes?" she asked Nabiki while pointing to herself.

"When you pay up," Nabiki retorted back, holding out her hand for the money. Shampoo smirked as she forcibly put the money in Nabiki's palm. While Nabiki counted to make sure it was all there, Shampoo smiled and slid her arms around Ranma's like she did that morning. She was wearing a long Chinese style dress with a slit in the side that came all the way up to her hip.

"Shampoo!" the voice of the boy from that morning yelled as he ran to where the three resided. Ranma looked over to see the long black haired boy running into some of the guests mingling instead of dancing.

_That's the guy who hugged Nabiki right?_

"Stupid Mousse. Put glasses on," Shampoo told the now out of breath fool with an annoyed face.

"Shampoo my love! I knew I would be able to find you!" he said breathlessly as he reached for the thick glasses sitting on top of his head.

"What Mousse want?" the Amazon asked in a monotone voice.

Smiling like a crazed man, Mousse gave a great bow and held out his hand in front of Shampoo. "Would you honor me with a dance my beautiful Shampoo?"

"No," Shampoo replied before dragging Ranma to the dance floor with no time to stop her.

"Wait Shampoo!" Ranma tried yelling out as she led him to a clear spot where there was room for them to dance. "I can't dance with you."

"But Shampoo pay violent girl sister," Shampoo said as she placed one of his hands on her hip and the other she held in her own. She gave him a smile as the first notes of the next song filled the ballroom.

The next few notes came quickly after, indicating to Ranma that this was indeed a fast song that Shampoo had just dragged him out to dance to.

_Oh crap…_ He thought with doom. Watching his feet as they moved clumsily across the floor, he concentrated more on not falling then who he was dancing with. As they continued to dance, Ranma more then once stepped on the foot of his dance partner's.

_Dancing can't seriously be this hard!_

"Shampoo make Prince Ranma nervous yes?" Shampoo asked him with a grimace as he accidentally stomped down on her foot again.

"Sorry bout that," the black haired prince mumbled with his head bowed to stare at his feet, willing them to move to the beat like the vampire was telling him to do so much that morning.

"Ranma?"

Lifting his head, Ranma gave a sigh of relief as he looked into the face of his best friend Ukyou. "Ukyou! Hi!"

"Who are you dancing with?" she asked with her arms crossed and a strained smile on her face.

"This is Lady uh, what's her name, great grand-daughter, Shampoo," he said, gratefully jumping out of Shampoo's arms and going over to stand next to Ukyou. "Shampoo this is my friend, Ukyou."

"Ranma no finished dancing with Shampoo," the purple haired girl said coldly, grabbing the closet arm of Ranma's that she was near.

"Well he's going to dance with me now," the brown haired chef snapped back while grabbing Ranma's other arm.

"Prince Ranma dancing with Shampoo!" Shampoo said angrily, yanking Ranma closer to her.

"I think Ranma would prefer to dance with me!" Ukyou replied back, tugging the pigtailed prince closer to her instead.

"Shampoo pay for dance with Prince Ranma!" Shampoo argued as Ranma was once again forced to stand closer to her.

All around them on the dance floor, couples stopped their movements and applauded the musicians and the ending of another song.

"Song's over," Ukyou stated smugly as she pulled Ranma closer to her so forcibly that he was freed from the trapping arms of Shampoo. She quickly led him away from the angry Amazon to a different part of the dance floor. They looked over at the musicians as they began to play a new song. The song's slow notes invited the many dancing partners to step closer to one another and begin dancing.

Ranma looked back at his childhood friend and shrugged. With a friendly smile on his face, he held out his hand for a dance. A blush rose to Ukyou's face as she gave a shy smile herself and placed her hand in his.

"Having fun?" Ukyou asked him, looking up at him with knowing expression.

"Loads," Ranma replied sarcastically and with a roll of his eyes. "How about you?"

"I'm only out here for a little bit before they need me back in the kitchens," she said with a sigh. After a moment of awkward silence, Ukyou bit her lip and looked up at Ranma sheepishly. "Ranma? Do you love Akane?"

Ranma stumbled as they continued to move across the floor. He looked at Ukyou with a shocked face and gulped. "What brought this on?"

"Well, you are going to be married soon," she said feeling like a complete fool.

"One week and a couple days," the black haired prince responded in a distant voice, looking over her shoulder at nothing in particular.

"You don't have to marry her Ranma!" she said in a rush before thinking. "We can just run away from all of this! Start a new life, just the two of us!"

"Ukyou?" Ranma asked his best friend in confusion.

"Ranma, do you like me at all?" the chef asked with desperation in her eyes.

"Of course I do Ukyou," Ranma said even more confused. Ukyou gave him a bright smile. "You're my best friend."

Her smile slowly fell and she couldn't even try to hide the pain showing on her face. "Oh," she said with tears welling up in her eyes.

"What's wrong?! What did I do?!" Ranma asked in panic at seeing the girl in front of him about to cry.

"Nothing," she said with her head bowed so her bangs would hide her eyes. "I have to get back to the kitchens now," she said before running off away from the dance floor while tears left trails on her cheeks.

Ranma watched her go, totally confused about what had just happened. Meanwhile, the people around him continued to dance and enjoy the engagement ball.

**½**

"Ranma!"

Akane sighed at the usual act of King Genma unnecessarily yelling out his son's name when he was in hearing distance. Deciding not to get involved with whatever her father and his friend were up to, Akane walked unnoticed to where her two older sisters were standing not far away.

"You and Ranma did wonderful Akane!" Kasumi told her happily once she reached where they were.

"Dad cried," Nabiki said with a smirk. "Again."

"Dad would cry at a picture of a door," Akane told her with a roll of her eyes and a smile.

"Well, I have business to attend to. Excuse me ladies," Nabiki said walking toward where Akane had just come from with an evil smile on her lips.

Kasumi and Akane stood where they were, greeting people who came to congratulate the princess on her engagement. Compliments were exchanged between the two royals and the guests as was expected. They saw a frazzled older couple pass by, coming from the refreshment table.

_Wonder what happened to them… _Akane thought before her thoughts were interrupted with the sight of Akari pushing an obviously nervous Doctor Tofu toward where she and Kasumi were still standing. Tofu stared ahead with fogged glasses and a goofy smile on his face.

"Hello Doctor Tofu. Akari," Kasumi greeted them when they stood before the two princesses.

"Good evening Princess!" Akari said happily with a curtsy.

"Hello Princess," the good doctor said with a laugh. He bowed low at the waist, only to fall on his face when he went to low and didn't come back up.

Kasumi laughed and told him how funny he was while Akari walked to Akane's side. "I told him to ask her to dance," Akari giggled in her ear.

"At the risk of everyone else on the dance floor?" Akane said with a smile as she watched Tofu turn a bright red when Kasumi helped him off the floor.

Doctor Tofu gave a hearty laugh and scratched the back of his head nervously. "So Princess-"

"Please Doctor Tofu, call me Kasumi," the eldest princess requested with a gentle smile.

Tofu gave another laugh and shakily offered out his hand in front of him for a dance. Caught up in the moment, Akane and Akari both held their breath at the same time, awaiting Kasumi's response. Kasumi's smile brightly and reached out and gently put her hand in his.

"Doctor Tofu, the dance floor is the other way," the princess laughed as the brown haired doctor led them both away in the wrong direction.

"Ah, young love," Akari joked as she watched with Akane Kasumi steer Tofu the right way, making Akane laugh.

_This night isn't so bad after all! _While thinking, Nabiki walked up to the two, counting a bunch of money in her hands.

"Who owed you money this time Nabiki?" Akane asked, only slightly surprised at the sight.

"Just a little arrangement I had made with Shampoo," Nabiki said distractedly as she finished up counting.

"What kind of arrangement?" Akane asked in a hard voice, her anger obvious.

"Look for yourself," Nabiki said, pointing to the dance floor where Kasumi had just directed Tofu.

Akane looked over where all the dancing couples just in time to see one couple in particular come into view. There, dancing awkwardly in the crowd was Shampoo and the very man Akane herself had danced with only moments before.

_What is he doing dancing with that...that… BIMBO?!_

Her fists clenched at her sides and her she set her face in a stubborn look. Akari looked at her pity. "Are you okay Akane?"

"Why would I be?" Akane said, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head away with an 'hmph'. "It's not like I care about a big jerk like him."

"I thought we got passed this point," Nabiki said with half lidded eyes.

Akane glared at her sister before turning back to look at all the guests. Searching through the many people, she smiled evilly when she saw the exact person she was looking for.

"Two can play at this game."

Walking away from her sister and friend, the princess set out on the boy leaning against a wall where not many people were. Straightening her back and putting on a brilliant smile, Akane walked up and stood in front of Ryoga.

"Having fun Ryoga?"

"Akane!" the black haired boy exclaimed in surprise, almost falling down the wall. "Uh, of course I am!" he said with a blush appearing on his face. "How about you?"

"Eh, it's alright I suppose," she said, clasping her hands behind her back and joining Ryoga in leaning against the wall.

"Where is Ranma?"

"Oh, he's off dancing with some girl."

"Why would he go and do that when he has a beautiful fiancé to dance with?!" Ryoga somewhat yelled. He pushed off the wall and stood in front of Akane, grabbing both her hands in his. He looked her in the eyes with a serious face. "Akane, will you do me the pleasure of dancing with me?"

"Uh, sure Ryoga," Akane said with an uneasy smile. She wasn't expecting the reaction that she got from him.

The two walked to the floor just as a slow song started to play. Ryoga with a blush and Akane with a victory smile, they started dancing to the slow beats that filled the room. Shampoo stomped by, sparking the curiosity of the blue haired girl.

_What made _her _so upset?_

Looking over Ryoga's shoulder, Akane spotted the black haired prince and his best friend talking while they danced to the same song.

_I wonder what they're talking about…_

Ryoga was too distracted with trying to keep in time that he didn't notice his dancing partner's attention being somewhere else. Akane meanwhile, was watching the two talk from where she was dancing like any creeper would. She stopped in her tracks though when she saw Ukyou run away from Ranma, leaving him standing there with a look of confusion and pain showing on his face.

"Akane?" Ryoga asked when the princess's face flashed with concern for the pig tailed prince.

"Hmm? Oh sorry. Yeah, let's just, keep dancing," she said in a distracted voice as she once again started dancing to the music. Her eyes found there way back to Ranma after only a few seconds and her mind filled with questions about what she had just witnessed.

_What is he doing just standing there? What did that jerk do to Ukyou?_

All of a sudden blue clashed with brown as Ranma turned his face in her direction and looked straight into her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat at the intensity of the gaze he held with her own. Just when she thought he was going to walk to her, he put his hands in his pockets and walked the other way to the entrance of the ballroom. Claps once again filled the air as another song finished.

"Would you like to dance again?" Ryoga asked in a hopeful voice.

"Uh, no thanks Ryoga. I have to go do something," Akane said, giving him a smile that showed she was sorry. Before the musicians could begin another song, Akane rushed out of the ballroom, lifting up the sides of her dress once she was out the doors.

Not knowing where he would go, Akane started walking to the one place she could think of that the young prince would be. Turning the corner to enter the hallway that led to the garden, she stopped short at the sight of Ranma staring at one picture in particular on the wall with a thoughtful face on. Akane looked at the sight with sad eyes.

"That's my mom. My dad insisted on having a picture of her and he thought of all these silly poses to have her in. But she just laughed and suggested a more natural pose for herself," the princess said while walking up and standing beside Ranma in the hallway.

Ranma turned his attention to the girl beside him as she stared at the painting of her mom reading by the window overlooking the garden she loved so much. "My mom was right. You look a lot like her."

"Thanks," Akane said, looking away from the painting and once again into the eyes of the prince that had stirred so much trouble in all the days he's been here. "So are you okay? I saw Ukyou run away from you back there."

"I don't know what happened. She saves me from dancing with Shampoo one minute and the next she's running away crying," Ranma said running a hand down his face.

_Crying?_

"Why were you watching me dance?" Ranma asked with a raised eyebrow and growing smirk, after a moment of shared silence.

"I-I wasn't watching you!" Akane stuttered with a slight blush staining her cheeks. "I simply looked over at that moment when I was dancing with Ryoga!"

"Oh yeah. Sure," he said with sarcasm dripping off each word. "Wait. You were dancing with that pig?!"

"Yup. Why? Are you, oh I don't know, jealous perhaps?" she retorted with a knowing look on her face.

"Jealous? Me? Ha! I'm not the one who was watching people dance!"

_That jerk!_

Without a moment's hesitation, Akane punched him in the gut. She crossed her arms, setting her face into a stubborn expression while Ranma clutched his stomach and groaned in pain.

"Was that really necessary?"

"I'm not jealous," Akane stated with a glare.

Ranma gave her a smile through the pain. "Sure."

The princess gave her prince gave up and smiled slightly as she rolled her eyes for the thousandth time that evening it seemed since I wrote it so many times.

"So, now what do we do?"

"I don't know."

Me neither.

"How about this," Ranma suggested as he straightened his back and gave her a boyish grin. "If you promise not to punch me again, how about we go back to that stupid ball, stay for as long as needed, then go somewhere fun."

"Like where?" Akane asked with her normal curious face.

"Wait and see," Ranma told her before cautiously taking her arm in his own. Together they walked back to the ballroom as they had just earlier that evening.

_This should be interesting…_

**½**

Wow. I suck. You can actually tell where I lost it. Oh well! I really like this chapter. It's longer and I like the writing. But do you? X3 Review and tell me what you think. Sorry it took so long to update. School is evil.

Thanks for reading!


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